Gaining Back My Love
by sweetEpie994
Summary: When Shadow meets up with his ex after 3 years of avoiding each other, will Shadow's feelings come rushing back for his old love?  A Sonadow story of romance, humor, and drama; R&R&Enjoy!
1. Chapter 1: The Invitation

**Author's Note: **Hey, readers. I know I've been taking forever with uploading new chapters of my story, _The Stepbrother, _and I'm really sorry. I've been really busy this summer, and I've barely been keeping still. Haha! But, as soon as I'm done uploading this story, I'm going to start on another chapter of my last fanfiction. And I also want all of you readers and reviewers to know that I really appreciate you guys with your support, whether it's reading or reviewing. I love you guys! Anyway, I hope you all enjoy! R&R!

**Disclaimer: **I DO NOT OWN ANY OF THE SONIC THE HEDGEHOG CHARACTERS! I wish I did, though. ;)

* * *

><p>"Shadow! . . . Shadow!" a voice called.<p>

My head immediately began to throb at the sound of a voice I knew all too well, with an enthusiasm that I also knew all too well. _'Why did I wake up this morning?'_ I asked myself. I didn't think it would be a problem to provide my female bat friend a place to stay ever since the deprivation of a home hit her. To be honest, _any_ fool should have a brain smart enough to know that having a home within a mere few miles of a club like Club Rouge only provokes trouble. But then again, that rowdy bat never did care about her own well being much of the time, let alone the well being of others.

But, I digress.

Because _I_ am the kind-hearted soul that I am, regardless of what anyone may say contrary to my statement, I somehow allowed her to reside in my humble abode. Now . . . maybe I was drunk before I complied with this living arrangement. Maybe I was deathly ill. Maybe I had just gone crazy in the head, that day. I understand that everyone has those moments from time to time. But the fact of the matter is, that she lives here, now. And until her house is fixed up to her satisfaction, or even until it is renovated to undeniably safe living conditions . . .

. . . I'm stuck with her.

Fate hates me.

As I sat in front of the low-volume television, I took my eyes off of the program, and I tried to think fast on how to respond to what I already _knew _she was calling me for.

"Hey, Shadow!" she called, racing down the stairs with a piece of paper in her hands.

For once, I wasn't fast enough.

I looked, slowly, over to where she was walking toward me. "Shadow. Read this." She handed me the piece of paper, folded in half and fresh out of the envelope from which it came. I looked at the piece of paper in her hand for a few seconds before I grabbed for it, annoyingly. I took it, skimmed over it, sarcastically handed it back to her, then looked up at her with a look that said, 'I read it. Happy?' She looked back at me with a look of discontent.

"C'mon, Stripes, just read it." She said.

I frowned at my nickname. 'Stripes.' I hated that name from day one, when she first called me that. I've told her repeatedly to stop calling me that, and repeatedly, she calls me by that disdainful name, again and again. I grew weary of verbally reminding her to refrain from the silly 'pet name', and simply scowled every time she decided to use it, instead.

"What's the point in reading it if I already know what it is?" I asked, staring at her, nonchalantly.

Stoic was my favorite expression. It didn't tell too much about me, it didn't hint how I was ever feeling, happy or sad, and it kept me from being read by others like a naïve schoolgirl or an open book. People believe me to have social-deficit issues because of how reserved I behave. Screw them, their thoughts, and their feelings.

"Shadow, please? Just read it, already?" She whined.

I huffed hard, and this time, I snatched the paper from her hand and glared at her before actually reading the piece.

_'Shadow and Rouge,_

_You are cordially invited, by Ms. Rose (that's me, Amy), to a wonderful three weeks of fun at my amazing mansion in the honor of my sixteenth birthday! The celebration and festivities will begin June 24th and will come to an end on July 17th. Please bring many clothes, a hearty appetite, and a friend or two to join in the fun, fun, fun! Feel free to bring Ms. Rose as many presents as you see fit. It is assured that they will be greatly appreciated . . . depending on what they are. Expenses are already paid for, with special thanks to my parents. Be prepared for an amazing time with old and new friends, and please RSVP as soon as possible._

_Hope to see you there!_

_Love, Amy.'_

'Love?' I have not, do not, and will not **ever** love her. I'm still questioning as to whether or not I like that little annoyance. I folded the invitation back in half and handed it back to Rouge. After she took it out of my hands and stood there, no doubt waiting for an answer about me confirming or refusing to go, I simply laid back in my previous position on the couch of the living room I was in, increased the volume of the television, and redirected my eyes to the program I was watching before her trifling interruption.

"So . . . will you go?" she asked me.

I ignored her.

"Shadow?"

I ignored her again.

"Shadow, I know you hear me."

Maybe if I keep quiet and continue not to answer, she would leave me alone.

"**SHADOW!**_**"**_

. . . maybe not.

"What do you want from me, bat?" I asked and glared harshly.

"What's your response to this letter?" She pushed and asked.

"What has been my response to that letter for the past two years that it has come?" I asked back.

". . . no." She answered meekly.

"Exactly. So I guess that is that."

"But, Shadow, you always say no, but you end up going anyway. So, you might as well just bite your lip and go again."

Well . . . I've never heard that one before. '_Bite my lip?'_

"Rouge," I started. "I've only gone for the past two years because of my inability to keep from yielding to your incessant cries, begs, and pleas for me to accompany you on these . . . simple little events. I refuse to submit to your whining at this point in time." She scrunched her face up as if trying to comprehend and keep up with what I was saying. I shook my head and breathed hard. I fear for the intelligence of this world, sometimes. I had to dumb my explanation down for her.

"I'm . . . not going . . . to go . . . with you. Understand?"

She glared at me because of this. I'm guessing . . . or _hoping_ . . . that she understood me, now.

"Stripes, it's only going to be for a few weeks."

"No."

"You'll enjoy the ride and the fresh air from this house."

"No."

"You'll have loads of fun, I swear. Now, would I lie to you?" She tried. I gave her a dumb look. Rouge will lie to anyone, friend or foe, to get what she wants. I've known her, not for my entire life, but long enough to process how she operates. Does she really believe me to be _this_ stupid? I'm Shadow the Hedgehog, the Ultimate Life Form. How dare she question my great intelligence! It's almost laughable.

"Okay, so maybe you'll have fun, more or less. But, we should still go."

I sat there for a second, and I thought. Would I really have fun being in a pest's mansion for three weeks with nonstop gabbing, constant noises, never-ending irritation, and headaches that a doctor himself couldn't cure?

"No." I said once more, hoping she would finally leave me alone. Third time's the charm, right?

"But, Shadow— "

I turned the television volume back down and faced her. "Look, bat, if you care to discard your time on some frivolous event, sadly mistaken for a _'getaway vacation'_, then you go right ahead. I don't have any intentions on accompanying you on this ridiculous excuse for relaxation and a good time." I told her. Then, I focused my attention back on the television program I had been watching.

She stared at me dumbfounded as if at a loss of what to say to me. I could already tell she felt furious on my shooting her down as swiftly as I had. But, desperate times called for desperate measures. If I didn't want to succumb to her request, I had to cut any of her ropes of hope that I would confirm to the invitation. So, without looking her directly in the eyes, I rudely denied her request.

Her cheeks began to turn a light shade of red, and she huffed at me, angrily and said, "Fine, Shadow! Be that way. I don't need you to go everywhere with me." She started in the direction of the staircase. "I'll go by myself, then. And I hope you have fun doing . . . _whatever _it is you do around here **by yourself**." She disappeared upstairs. I heard mumbles of 'Hmph!' and 'Rudeness!' after she got to the top of the stairs. I have _very_ good hearing.

I smirked to myself. _'Hn. Glad she's finally out of the way.'_ I thought. I turned the volume back up once more, and I laid back on my side, my previous position on the couch before my roommate so rudely took me out of my own comfort. I was glad that I had gotten rid of her. Rouge is one of the acquaintances that I can get along with, fairly well. I find it strange that I tell her more than I would tell others. _Her._ A gaudy bat who, usually, only thinks of herself and her ludicrous jewelry fetish. A bat who consistently tries to remove me from the deepest depths of my comfort. A bat who, more times than not, will try to keep me in my right mind and will go through _almost_ whatever it takes to keep me as happy as someone like me can possibly be.

. . . A bat who, currently, had me thinking twice about accompanying her on Amy Rose's stupid event.

Darn it all.

It was well against my wishes to attend such a sophomoric outing. But as I previously stated, Rouge oddly goes through a great amount of lengths to **attempt** to put smiles on my face.

I know if I attend, I will be greeted by that rowdy group of Beverly hillbillies; Tails, the golden, two-tailed fox with great intelligence, I must admit, but a knack for being incredibly tedious and naïve, and a mouth that never stops its engines. Knuckles, the red echidna, a hard-headed '_knucklehead'_ as its been said, with a gullibility so high, _toddlers_ would gaze at him in awe and shame. Amy, the cause of the event; her purpose in this world is to exist to annoy. And that is all she is. Cream the rabbit and her . . . her pet, or whatever that thing is, Cheese, will attend, of course. Only one word is needed to describe these two: children. And what would someone of my age and intelligence have to do with children? Clearly nothing.

I'm sure there will be a few others who I won't care to see. For two years, the event has consisted of people I don't care to see.

But, Rouge somehow manages to have a fun time, every time. And I know she'd enjoy it if I accompanied her. I don't understand why. Aside from the occasional walk into what goes on in my world and my head, I usually give her the cold shoulder. She's a weird one, Rouge. But like I said, I can often tolerate her. And I don't want to lose the closest one I can call a friend, right now.

. . . I guess it won't kill me if I attended the event with her for a few weeks. What have I got to lose that I haven't already lost for the past two years?

My sanity's almost gone. My impeccable sense of hearing has almost vanished. And I already know who to expect and who to prepare for at Amy's.

I decided to go.

I reached for the remote set on the coffee table in front of me, and I turned the television off. I, then, got up off of the couch and dragged myself up the stairs to the room I've let Rouge stay in. When I get to the doorway, I call her. "Bat?" I call in a non-thrilled tone. No answer. "Bat!" I call a little louder.

She appeared from the walk-in closet she enjoyed so much. "What is it, Stripes?"

Hn. That dumb pet name, again. I glared.

"I'll go with you on your silly—"

"Will you, Shadow?" I didn't even get to finish before she enthralled me in an unexpected hug. "Thanks, sweets. I really appreciate this! I'll call Amy on my cell and tell her we're coming." And with that, she disappeared back into her closet, humming happily to songs from some television program.

I wiped myself off as if trying to attempt to remove any remnants or evidence of her hugging me, and I walked to my room to start packing some necessary things for this venture.

As I walked, I already started to feel a _major_ headache coming on. What am I getting myself into?


	2. Chapter 2: The Yellow Demon

**Author's Note:** I hope you enjoyed the first chapter! R&R&Enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** I DO NOT OWN ANY OF THESE SONIC THE HEDGEHOG CHARACTERS. I wish I did, though. ;)

* * *

><p>I grabbed my bags and walked, <em>in graceful strides<em>, out to my black sports car. Whoever says that one with class isn't capable of owning a sexy automobile is, sadly, mistaken. I unlocked the keys to my beautiful vehicle and grabbed the two bags from each side of me.

I'm thankful that my only necessities for this event only consist of items that can be neatly packed away in only two medium-sized suitcases. I don't understand why women seem to need a separate bag for almost everything: one for makeup, one for jewelry, one for the actual clothes, one for toiletries, and every other bag they use to store their things away. It's beyond me. Whatever.

I'm of the male sex, so it is not my burden to bear.

"Shadow, what are you doing?" I heard a voice shout from behind me, just as I was about to load my things in the coupe. I turned around to see Rouge dressed in some pink, tight, mini-dress outfit with black, high-heeled pumps that almost made her two-to-three feet taller. _Almost_. I don't know why Rouge always dresses as if she has something to prove. Looking in her face, _any_ blind man could tell that Rouge is an exceptionally attractive female. There's no need for her to dress like a first class hooker, the way she sometimes does. And for the life of me, I can't figure out why I find it extremely annoying at times.

But, her outfit isn't what nearly made my eyeballs roll completely out of my sockets.

It was the preposterous number of suitcases and purses that she carried on her person.

_N-nine bags?_ D-do I see **nine** . . . **bags?**

"Rouge! What the hell do you plan to do with nine bags on this trip?" I questioned. "And how do you plan on fitting your miserable junk in my car? I'm not piling _anything_ on type of it."

"Well, don't worry about piling anything on top of _your_ car, Stripes. We're not taking it, anyway." She responded.

" . . . not taking it? . . . What do you mean 'we're not taking it'?" I asked, confused. "And how do you propose we get to Amy's?" Rouge just stared at me, watching me talk. "The hedgehog's house isn't exactly far away. But, it is across the city, and it's not exactly close by, either." I continued to talk. "And as fast as I am well-known for being, I refuse to tire myself by racing back and forth from house to house, carrying each one of these bags, because you don't agree to take my sports car."

Rouge stared at me, dull-eyed. "Are you finished now, Sparky?"

I wish she'd get my name right!

"Hn." I responded.

"We're not taking your car, and you are _not_ carrying everything to and from house to house."

I waited to see where she was going with this.

"We're gonna take a taxi." She said that as if waiting for me to breathe a sigh of relief, and then, grasp the mindset that everything would, now, be okay.

Well, everything would **not** be okay.

"A taxi?" I said.

"Yes, a taxi." She repeated. "It'll get us to Amy's quicker."

". . . than my **sports car**?"

"Well . . . uh, yeah. I guess. And plus, we can fit our things not only _inside_ of the car, but also in the trunk and on the top." She explained. "So, you don't have to worry about your precious little sports car needing a new roof paint job." She stated with a smile.

"Rouge," I started out, slowly. My bags were now dropped at my sides, and I was now rubbing my temples. "What . . . would take you out of your right mind . . . far enough . . . that you would call a taxi to take us to Amy's?" I asked as calm as I possibly could.

I think if we were in a comic book, Rouge would have sweat-dropped. I supposed my current combined expression of calmness and anger would be perceived, by anyone, as a bit frightening, even Rouge. But, truth be told, I didn't care worth a dime.

"I dunno, Shadow. I mean, I did have a couple of martinis before I finished all of my packing. But, I doubt that would've done the trick." She said.

I cursed the day I decided to buy that stupid mini-bar in the kitchen while Rouge was a resident of my household.

"Well, I won't do it. I'm not driving in some unkempt, disgusting, public automobile." I replied, thinking that was that. I forgot I was talking to Rouge.

"Oh, Shadow. Don't be such a sourpuss. I bet gems to jewels you've never even ridden in one." She exclaimed. "And besides, it's not even as bad as you're making it seem."

"No, Rouge. I won't allow it. Call the taxi driver and tell them we've changed our minds about the ride."

Just then, a screech, so loud that it made me whip my head toward its direction, was heard coming from around the corner toward us. I saw a yellow taxi with black checkers lined across the middle of the sides of the car heading our way. It whipped around the corner in such an unsafe manner, I swear that I saw the right front and back wheels lift from the concrete, and slam back on the road. It sped up toward us until it was mere meters away.

"Too late. It's already here." Said Rouge, hobbling her many bags to the taxi that came to a screeching stop; it was now parked in front of my driveway. The driver's side window rolled down until the head of a muscular, sweaty, brown bulldog could be seen.

"All ready ta go?" He asked in a deep, husky voice.

"We sure are!" Rouge answered, all too happily. The trunk of the taxi was popped open, and Rouge miraculously stuffed three of her huge bags in the tiny, cramped space. The taxi driver got out of the taxi and walked to where Rouge was. He lifted heavy-looking bags with ease and began to strap them to the top of the taxi. I walked down to the end of the driveway where the taxi was, and I handed the driver my two bags as well. They were also strapped to the top of the little dirty-yellow colored vehicle.

'_I can do that with my eyes closed.'_ I scoffed. And I could. Having visible muscles doesn't make you any stronger than the next individual. I'm more than confident that I harbor a power greater than this inexperienced-at-everything looking hooligan. He clapped his hands together as if he had done such a huge service.

Laughable.

But, I don't laugh.

I turned my head to Rouge when I heard her speak. "Oops. Shadow, it looks like there's no more room in the trunk or on the top of the car for the last two bags."

"Well, leave them here. I'm sure you can last without bringing your whole closet full of items to this outing, anyways." I suggested.

She giggled. "Don't be silly, Shadow. Of course, every one of these bags is needed for this trip."

"Well, what are ya gunna do, ma'am?" The bulldog asked.

Rouge gasped. "Hey, I know! Why don't we just hold them, Shadow?"

I glared at her, glanced at her two gargantuan-sized bags, and glared back at her again.

"You're out of your mind if you think _I'm_ holding either of these boulder-sized bags.

"But, Shadow," she whined. "It's only for about half an hour. You'll be fine."

She picked up one of the heavy bags and carried to her seat in the back of the taxi. I breathed hard and angrily. How come it seems that nothing I say matters anymore? I picked up the last of the bags and carried it to my seat, as well. The bag _had_ to have weighed half a ton. How much make-up does this silly bat need? When I sat down and lifted the bag onto my lap to hold, the bag almost completely blocked my line of sight of the front window. I slammed the taxi door shut as the driver asked, "Everyone ready for takeoff?"

Does this **idiot **realize that we are in a taxi and _not_ an airplane?

*sigh*

I look around at my surroundings, besides Rouge. I placed my gloved hand on the seat, and lifted it back up, quickly. There was chewed gum stuck on _top_ of the seat. _'Repulsive!'_ I thought, disgustingly. I look at the windows as well. Dead, dried insects and more chewed gum seemed permanently stuck to the corners of the windows. I slid away from the windows and a little closer to Rouge. I looked around some more and happened to glance at the ceilings. Dirt, grime, and filth were words that came to mind at the sight of it. How on earth do the interior ceilings of a vehicle lose all cleanliness?

"Here we go!" the driver called out, as he shifted the car into drive and stepped on the acceleration a little harder than necessary. I know this because my head snapped back to the nasty seat I was on. I looked over at Rouge to observe her response to the gross automobile and its incompetent driver. She seemed to be fine with the whole ordeal. I was to suffer alone. And why should she suffer at all, really? She was the one who brought this sickening affliction upon us. I noticed that there also seemed to be a treacherous odor lingering in the air of the taxi. It smelled alike a mixture of decayed food and poor bodily hygiene. It was nauseating. And the remaining fact that I had to endure and attempt to withstand these sickening afflictions nearly caused me to witness this morning's breakfast in a sloppy form.

I closed my eyes and tried to drown out these sights with sounds of the noisy city that could be heard through the closed windows of our dirt-yellow transportation. We had already driven for about five minutes and had already reached the noisy area. My quiet, comfortable home was located in a peaceful area, about three to five minutes from Emerald City; a city that was hardly as magnificent as its name sounded. Horns were honked, noisy street tunes were played over loudspeakers, and a few voices here and there of "Extra! Extra!" and "I want my money back!" sounded. But, these distractions were distracting enough to make me forget about my filthy surroundings. I opened my eyes and glanced at Rouge who had fallen asleep in an unbelievably short time. Then, I peered over the suitcase I was holding, and I looked out the front-view mirror. As soon as I had acted upon looking, I wished that I hadn't. The taxi driver dodged in and out of traffic, _just_ missing every vehicle and object in its path.

I hoped to high heaven that my death wasn't soon, and if it was, that I wouldn't perish in an object as impractical as a taxi cab.

I closed my eyes, trying to get some shut-eye and relieve myself from the atrocities before me. I had to have been exhausted because no sooner had I closed my eyes did I fall prisoner to the sweet abyss of sleep.

**~.~.~.~.~**

"Rise and shine, sleeping beauties!" A husky voice that I had recognized, awakened me.

I slowly opened my lids and rubbed my right eye to better vision. I came to my senses and found myself still sitting the same cab as earlier that day, with the bag still smothering my legs. The only difference between then and now, was that the cab was at a halt.

"Shadow, we're here!" Rouge yelled.

Immediately, I glared at her. "I'm already awake, bat. Leave me alone."

"He-he. Good to see someone's woken up on the right side o' the cab, this afternoon." The grimy, bulldog, taxi driver chuckled. I wasn't in the mood to be talked down by some tough guy wannabe.

"Well, _I_ haven't, if it is any business of yours." I responded harshly, rising out of my seat, throwing the bag out of the cab on the ground. I realize it wasn't necessary to snap at the man, for he was only trying to lighten the mood. However, I was running out of patience, and I didn't care to be bothered with the yellow demon or its driving master, any longer. I practically leaped out of the cab as quickly as possible, happy in my own way to be rid of that hellish transportation for the time being. I may have to stoop so low as to ask one of future inhabitants of Amy's mansion to grant me a ride home. I refuse to spend another solitary second in that prison.

I picked up my suitcases and turned around. Standing tall and wide in front of me, was Amy's mansion. It had to be at least four feet tall, and who knows how many yards wide. It was a beautiful white mansion with light brown rooftops to it. The shutters on every window were, of course, pink. There were tropical trees on the sides of the stone walkway to the front door. This not only gave shade, but a beach theme to the mansion, and the sun hit it at a perfect angle giving it a somewhat bright, warm feeling. It had been the third time I had seen the mansion, but I still had to hand it to Amy for having such a magnificent house. Though, I feel she doesn't have the class to own such a luxury. Oh, well. Fate works in mysterious ways, sometimes.

I started walking toward the mansion when a voice sounded from behind me.

"Hey, pal. Where ya goin'?" I heard the husky, and _clearly_ uneducated dog question. I turned around to face him, annoyed. This was _not_ my day.

"What?" I barked in a scary tone to let him know he should back off.

He took a slight step back. I think his mind registered that I meant business, and I can assure him that my bark isn't worse than my bite. Heh!

"Th-the money." He fragmented.

"What?" I asked again, a little more calmy.

"The money . . . for driving you here?"

I scrunched my face up in confusion, and then straightened it up in understanding. "Oh." I looked at Rouge. "You heard him. Pay the man." I said to her.

Rouge looked over at me in a strange and uneasy manner. She looked nervous about something . . . was it something I said? . . . or something she thought I would say? . . . or . . . or some way she thought I would react!

"Rouge . . ." I stared her dead in the eye and called her.

"Uh, he he." She chuckled.

"Stop stalling and speak, bat." I demanded.

"Well . . . ha ha . . . wouldn'tcha know it. I don't seem to have any money on me, at all. Silly me."

I glared at her. Unbelievable. I find it amazing and uncanny, sometimes, how this woman works! How would call a cab without money? I grew tired of waiting outside of the mansion. And I wasn't planning on waiting near that yellow cab any longer. Strange enough, there was a funky odor emitting from the _outside_ of the vehicle, as well. I reached into my shoe and pulled out some money from the heel. I _would _put the money in my pocket, but . . . I don't feel like going into the whole no-clothes-on detail. Or the detail of why the females wear clothes and the males do not.

It's too much to process and explain.

I handed the man the money, and he stuck out his hand. I looked down at it with disgust, and looked back up at his face. He had a big goofy grin stretched from ear to ear on his face. I just grimaced and walked away, silently. If the man thought I would touch him, he had another think coming.

I heard the man get in the taxi, start it up, and begin to drive away. Finally.

Again, I started toward the house, and then, I heard Rouge clear her throat as if trying to get my attention.

"Eh-ehm!"

I purposely continued to walk and ignore her.

"**Eh-EHM!**"

*sigh*

"What do you want, now?" I turned to glare at her. She motioned with her face to my two bags and then to her nine backs. I simply raised an eyebrow at her. She then rolled her eyes at me.

"Shadow, don't you think it would be proper etiquette to offer to carry some of my bags for me?" she asked softly.

"You didn't need help carrying them down the stairs and out of the house." I retorted.

"But, it's proper _etiquette_ to offer, now." She whined.

"I'm not an etiquette type of guy." I stated, turned around, and walked off with my two bags.

"Shadow!" She cried.

I walked on and didn't respond back to her. I had enough of that creature. Nothing she's _ever_ done for me can measure up to this. I truly believed that the months and years of kind service she's shown me was equivalent to the hell that she forced upon me, this day. I was in no position to oblige to any more of her current or future requests, at this point.

Just as I had climbed the few stairs to the front door of the mansion, with a irritated scowl on my face, the door burst open noisily, and the sound that came from it made me jump back a few feet. No lie.

"**SHADOOOOW!**"

Ugh.

When I really think about it . . .

. . . I think that the weeks that I'm about to spend at this mansion just might be the death of me.


	3. Chapter 3: Friends and Thoughts

**Author's Note:** I hope you enjoyed the first chapter! R&R&Enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** I DO NOT OWN ANY OF THESE SONIC THE HEDGEHOG CHARACTERS. I wish I did, though. ;)

* * *

><p>"Ohmygosh! Shadow, I'm so sorry! Are you okay? Here. Let me get those things for you! Do you need any band-aids? Do you need any disinfectant? How 'bout som—"<p>

"**AMY**! For heaven's sake, just shut up!" I shouted. I'd just gotten to the front door in less than two minutes and my head trauma had already passed over from headache to migraine.

Amy contorted her lips into a light pout as if I had said something horribly wrong. How else was I to make her be quiet?

"Geez, Shadow. I was only trying to help."

"I wouldn't need the help if you hadn't knocked me off of the porch with you childish antics. Can't you just greet others like a civilized individual?" I snapped, picking up my bags.

"Well, hi to you, too. And come in." Amy said, sarcastically. Ugh. I didn't know how much more I could take of this. "Where's Rouge?" she asked. "I know I invited the both of you." I pointed with my thumb behind me, without looking back to see how the mentioned was doing. Amy looked beyond me and saw Rouge struggling with her bags. She gasped and I watched her rush right past me to go help Rouge. I swear, that adolescent creature makes 'mountains out of molehills', so to speak. Her behavior is often quite the disturbance.

As I was about to walk in the house, Amy shouted from behind me, "Shadow, just go straight into the kitchen. Tails and Knuckles are already there." And she continued rushing to help Rouge. I walked inside of the house and into the foyer. I looked around me just as in the taxi; I tend to like checking the atmosphere of which I'm in. It usually determines whether or not I plan to revisit the area or not. I didn't mind the atmosphere. In fact, when I took in the interior of the mansion for the first time a few years ago, it wasn't at all how I expected it to be. At first meeting Amy, one would expect nothing but red, pink, and other girl, cheerful colors defining everything owned by the girl. But no.

Her enormous foyer did not consist of such an eye sore, thankfully.

The wallpaper of the hall were stripes of a white and a rich lavender color; there were two cherry walnut end tables against each side of the wall, and a decorative clear lamp stood on top of each of them; when one walked directly into the house, there was a mirror sitting on the little wall beside the staircase leading upstairs; also the floor was made of wood, but a big, calm floral rug was placed on it, covering almost the entire floor; looking to my left, there was a doorway that led through to a small living room where a glass table, a long couch, a piano, and decorative items resided; looking to my right, a doorway that led to the dining room was present; and moving a little further straight ahead, the big family room was held. Amy was a lucky girl.

'_Now that I think about it, this does seem like a place I can rest in, I guess.'_ I thought. But, then I thought about something else. Something that Amy had told me a little earlier on.

The fox and the echidna.

Great. The fox and the echidna arrived before I. Before even entering the taxi, I envisioned at least having time to keep to myself and relax. My head was throbbing wildly in my head. The pain would only become excruciatingly worse if I was to linger with those two fools for too long. Was it too late to tuck tail, pick up all of my belongings, and dash out of here?

"Shadow!"

. . . Way too late.

I looked wearily to my right and saw Tails emerging from the dining room.

"Shadow! I knew you would come. Knuckles didn't believe me. How was your ride here?" He asked with curious and innocent blue eyes.

"I'd rather not go into detail about that," was my simple answer.

"Oh. Well, it's okay. C'mon. Knuckles is in the kitchen. We were just talking about some modifications I was thinking about making on my plane, the X Tornado." He said, enthusiastically.

"Oh, joy." I mumbled under my breath.

"Leave your bags here. Amy's butler will come and get them." I dropped my bags and followed Tails through the dining room, which may have been twice as large as the foyer. We walked through the dining room, past the butler's pantry and the doorway leading to the garage, and we walked into the kitchen. The kitchen was a bright, pale green color with wallpaper of light pink flowers here and there in it. It held the appliances that every kitchen would have, and then some. The counters were of black marble and the cabinets were of cherry wood with glass doors. The floor was a simple white tile, and there was one long, chestnut table of fifteen chairs and another small chestnut table, fit for four, in the corner of the kitchen. It was beautiful, to put it plainly.

Looking straight ahead of me, a red echidna, sitting in a stool at a marble counter in the middle of the kitchen, soon came into my view.

"Whatsup, Shadow." He greeted with a grin.

"Hello." My response was more in acknowledgement of his greeting me, not really me greeting him back.

"I didn't expect you to be here, this time. I kinda hoped— er . . . th-thought Rouge would be coming here alone." I just stared at the echidna. It was painfully obvious that he harbored _some_ type of feelings for that bat. From the moment Rouge moved into my home, there were some feelings of jealousy and slight discomfort emitted from Knuckles about whose house she chose. I could tell he tried to be secretive about his emotions, but as I said before, I am the Ultimate Life-form, and merely glancing at Knuckles during the appropriate time revealed his thoughts as obvious to me. At the time, I had to smirk at the reaction of Knuckles when Rouge began moving her things into my home. But now that I've seen, firsthand, the toils and pains I have to deal with, he can have her back. She can go home with him when we leave this vacation, in fact, and I'll have her things sent to Knuckles' house. "R-rouge _is here_ . . . right?"

I rolled my eyes in disappointment at the echidna's weakness for the bat that he sought after.

"Of course she's here." I replied. "Who do you think begged me to be here?"

"Aw c'mon, Shadow. It won't be that bad." Tails consoled.

"That's what the bat told me."

"Well, it's true. You didn't have that terrible of a time when you came here for the past two years, did ya?" He asked.

I lightly shook my head no. I actually didn't have that terrible of a time when I dwelled in this place after the first few days. It's just the trials and tribulations you think about before you actually reach the promise land that I worry about. Before actually coming here to relax, all I can think about is the toil it takes to get here and the never-ending noise of these creatures. But, as the young fox promised, it should all be better soon.

I hope.

**~.~.~.~.~**

"Phew!" Rouge back-wiped her forehead and exhaled. "Glad we finally got those bags in here." She said. "Thanks for all the help, _Amy_." She showed gratitude toward the hedgehog, but at the same time, glared at me.

"Hn," was my simple response. "I told you before, bat. You brought those trials on, yourself. I had no intentions of breaking my back over such a great amount of silly bags."

"You could've at least carried a few more." She cried.

"I've heard the expression 'blind as a bat', but I have no doubt that even _you_ could see that I had my own bags of apparel to carry," said I.

"Whatever, Shadow." She said.

I rolled my eyes at the worthless conversation we were having in front of the others. My eyes, then, landed on the red creature of whom I previously explained had feelings for my housemate. I'm guessing he was not aware of where his eyes had wandered and rested, because he was staring directly in the line of sight of Rouge. Thankfully to him, she didn't, as well as any of the others, seem to notice. What an embarrassment for him that would have been!

"Well, thanks for showing up, everyone! I know we're going to have just as much fun hanging out as the last two years." Amy chimed as she clapped her hands together.

"Ya' mean to tell us that we're the only ones that are showing up?" Rouge asked.

Amy shook her head with a smile on her face.

"Of course not, silly. The others will be coming in a little while."

"Who all is still coming?" questioned the twin-tailed fox.

"Cream and Cheese should be here in a very short time." She said. "Espio, Vector, and Charmy are coming. And I think I remember Silver and Blaze confirming with me that they'd be here, too."

"Sounds like it's gonna be another full house here." Knuckles said. We've always known him to be the genius.

. . . that was _clearly_ sarcasm.

"I'll say," said Amy.

Then, there was a pregnant pause of silence in the room. I looked around at everyone, wondering what the cause of this sudden stillness was. Everyone looked at each other with expressions that displayed they were trying to keep something in. Suddenly, I glanced over at Amy and saw her staring at me? When she saw me look at her, she shifted her eyes away from me.

What was going on?

I looked around at everyone else and _they_ were looking at me as well. But as soon as my eyes met each of theirs, they would turn away and glance at an inanimate object of the kitchen. Rouge leaned her elbow on the counter and exhaled hard. _What_ exactly was going on? And why did I suddenly feel out of the loop?

Did their reactions have anything to do with me? Or something related or involved with me? My facial expression of confusion turned into one of the slightest irritation. I wanted to know what the problem was, and I was about to open my mouth to find out, until Tails spoke up.

"Did . . . did you-know-who get invited, Amy?" He asked, hesitantly.

" . . . Did who get invited?" Amy seemed to snap out of some trance she was in while gazing at the kitchen floor. I raised in eyebrow at the odd behavior that seemed to have spread around the room to everyone, but me.

" . . . _Y-you_ know. You-know-who."

"Do I know who?" Amy questioned.

"I think so. Maybe. I don't know if you know. You might not." Tails answered and looked from Amy to the floor.

"Then, why would you ask, Tails?"

"I don't know. . . . I don't think I know why."

My eye twitched and my patience was running thin. This was the problem with attending outings with immature children. It seemed that everyone was acting unusual because of . . . some _visitor_? Well, whatever the problem was, I got sick of hearing Amy and Tails play conversational games; I was about to interrupt and demand what was going on, until I was _again _interrupted by someone else who seemed _just_ as annoyed as I was, if not more.

"For Pete's sake, you two! Tails wanted to know about _Sonic,_ Amy! He wants to know if Sonic got invited and whether or not he's coming, alright?" Knuckles yelled and rubbed his temples in exasperation.

. . .

. . . . .

. . . . . . . .

. . . _Sonic._

It was now my turn to go into one of those trances, staring into space. My mind went completely blank, like it had abandoned my head and me, and it had no intention of coming back any time soon.

. . . . . _Sonic_.

I hadn't heard that name in a long time . . . in nearly three years. It had only been three years, but being reminded of him made it feel like much longer. Like a century. Like a millennium.

Like forever.

I had to have been in a state of utter shock, because my brain could not process straight. Not a part of me was functioning; everything seemed to fail me at that moment in time. If I was still functioning properly, I might've been able to witness everyone staring at me in worry. Tails, Knuckles, Amy, and Rouge were all crowded around me, staring at me. I could see figures and objects in my peripheral vision from where my eyes were focused to the floor. However, everything was but a mere blur to me. And I could focus on nothing but the aforementioned name.

. . . _Sonic._

Suddenly, blurry visions of a cobalt blue color swirling around slowly appeared in my eyes. A form tried to focus, but I couldn't make it out for the life of me. Then, the form of a face swirled into view; two pointy ears, red and white shoes, and a pair of shining onyx eyes that I couldn't focus away from. I was in a trance. A deep trance. A deep trance I didn't want to get out of. I felt like I wanted those enticing orbs to stay in my mind, forever. They were . . . _beautiful._ However . . .

. . . nothing lasts forever.

"Shadow!" I heard a voice call.

I snapped my head up, so quickly, to the source of the loud voice and I glared.

"What?" I barked. I've come to the conclusion that I seem to have a knack for barking.

"Are you okay?" It was Rouge's voice.

" . . . I . . . I-I'm fine. Why do you ask?" I tried to straighten my voice from its currently weak state.

"You were staring into space for who knows _how_ long." She said.

I blinked twice. I couldn't have been out of my mind for too long, I suppose. "Oh . . . I'm fine." I repeated. I glanced around the kitchen of which I still stood. In front of me, still, were Rouge, Knuckles, and Tails. I noticed that someone was missing. Amy.

"Where did Amy go?"

"The doorbell rang." Knuckles answered. "She went to answer it."

'_Th-the doorbell?'_ I thought to myself. I unconsciously and eagerly looked in the direction of the doorway from which the visitor would have come. I waited for the visitor to come through that doorway, hoping it was the visitor I seemed . . . somewhat . . . anxious to see. I stood by the middle counter in anticipation and slight nervousness. Would he walk through that door?

Would I finally see _his _face . . . after all this time apart?

Suddenly, in walked Cream, Cheese, Vector, Espio, and Charmy with Amy, laughing and greeting each other, happily and noisily. "Hey, everyone. Look who's here." Knuckles, Tails, and Rouge went to greet the five newcomers. I found myself slouch in minor disappointment. Of course he wouldn't' show; I should have known better. After all . . .

. . . Why would he decide to come when he _had_ to know that I was here?

Why would he come after all that has happened . . . between us?

Despite Amy's newly arrived houseguests and friends, I stayed near the counter I was standing by. I wasn't in a mood to greet anyone when I first arrived here, myself, and I still wasn't in any mood to greet anyone, now. I walked around to the stool Knuckles sat in, and I sat down, leaning on my elbows on the counter. Rouge must have sensed something wrong with me; I looked over at the group of friends greeting one another, and my gaze met with Rouge's, who was looking in my direction. She walked over to me and put a hand on my shoulder.

"Shadow, why don't you come say hi to the others?" she asked.

"I'm not really in such an affable mood that I'd care to address any of them, right now." I replied.

"Are you really ever?" Rouge asked sarcastically, rolling her eyes. I glared up at her. Her snide comments are normally uncalled for, and they are usually given at an improper time. I slouched over against the counter even more, folded my arms across each other on the counter, and the lower half of my face in them. I _really_ didn't want to be here, anymore. I have Rouge to thank that I am.

"C'mon, Stripes. It was just a joke. It's what I do; don't be so emotional."

"Your flippancy has hardly put me in my current mood, bat."

Rouge twisted her face into one of concern toward me.

" . . . Are you okay, hun?"

I looked at her, wondering if her concern was genuine or forced.

"Of course I am. What could cause you to think otherwise?"

"Well . . . it's just that . . . you seemed cranky before, but . . . you seem to have gotten worse ever since Knuckles has brought up Son—"

I cut her off quick; I could see where this was going and didn't wish to revisit what, or _who_, had already been brought up, that day.

"I told you I'm okay. I just wish to be alone is all; and as soon as that childish hedgehog shows us to our bedrooms, I will be." I said in a point blank tone and I averted her gaze by looking away from her.

" . . . if you say so, Shadow. I just hope you feel better sometime soon." She said, and she walked back over to the noisy crowd.

I stayed in my space and faded in the backroom, thinking about things . . .

. . . thinking about how I might feel, later on . . .

. . . thinking about how this whole _'vacation'_ would turn out for me, this year . . .

. . . . . . . _and thinking about Sonic._


	4. Chapter 4: Reunited

**Author's Note:** Well, I updated _The Stepbrother_, so I felt it was about time to update this story, too. Lol! I'm really sorry I've been taking so long with everything. But I hope this chapter was worth the wait! Enjoy everyone! And **R&R**! : )

**Disclaimer:** I DO NOT OWN ANY OF THESE SONIC THE HEDGEHOG CHARACTERS.

* * *

><p>Rouge, Amy, and her noisy, new houseguests proved to be quite a disturbance, and they hadn't even been in the house for more than a mere twenty minutes. The obnoxious, elevated tone of that green, big-mouthed crocodile,Vector is what I think they called him, did not surprise me. Especially because of the fact that he sported earphones just about the size of his head. And his head was pretty big. Charmy was the bee's name; he reminded me of both Tails and Amy, being the age of the former and having the naïveté of the latter. The purple chameleon, Espio, gives off a quiet, kept-to-himself demeanor. However, it seems that he chose to be cordial and social for this event, the opposite of himself.<p>

The greetings were way past over, but they all still continued to talk as if their lives depended on it. I, however, stayed quiet, unnoticed, and content where I was seated at the counter in the kitchen. No one seemed to notice me, and that was exactly how I wanted it to stay.

"Okay, you guys. Why don't I show you where you'll be staying for the time here?" The rosette hedgehog stated.

**Finally.**

I hopped out of my stool at the counter, as much as someone like me would hop, and proceeded to follow a few feet behind the female child.

"Hey, Shadow. When did _you_ get here?" The big-mouthed reptile questioned behind me. I rolled my eyes and didn't respond. If I don't feel compelled to answer a question, and I usually don't, then I won't. Why waste my breath on stupid questions?

Amy led the group, myself included walking slowly 9behind everyone else, to the hall where visitors entered and we walked up the two sets of stairs into a big hallway upstairs. This grand house seemed unfit for someone as childish and . . . unsophisticated, to say the least, as Amy. But, maybe her behavior and character was prior to that of her parents, who maybe happened to be classy beings. I don't know. I've never met her parents, and I can't say I really care to.

We walked past multiple rooms, each of which looked just as big as the last. I know this because I went the extra mile to take a quick glance inside each one of them as we walked by. I've seen her mansion before, but I couldn't resist taking a peek inside the beautiful spaces once more. They all held classy, yet comfortable atmospheres, and by the way they were decorated, one could deduce that each item in the room had to have cost at least half a thousand dollars. The place was fit for a king! _'. . . Or an ultimate life form._' I thought and smirked to myself. We must have passed at least ten rooms, not including the two bathrooms. And after we walked past the those rooms, we took a turn down the huge hallway to see a multitude of other rooms as well. I've always wondered what on earth a family of three needs with this many rooms in their house. As I kept my renewed awe and wonder-filled feelings to myself, the others in the group took the liberty of loudly expressing their amazement as if they haven't seen the mansion the past years we've been here.

"Wowwy-wow-wow, Amy!" Charmy exclaimed.

"This mansion looks better every time I come here." Rouge said.

"Boy, I wish _I _lived here." Said the big-mouth.

"It's alright . . . I guess . . . if you like this sort of thing." Knuckles responded.

"I can't wait to see my room for this year." Tails spoke.

Amy replied back to Tails. "Well, wait no longer, guys. 'Cause your rooms are coming up." She said with a polite smile. I knew she was probably proud inside because of the reactions she was receiving due to her mansion. After taking a few more steps, Amy and the group stopped completely. She reached over to grab and turn a doorknob, revealing to us one of her magnificent bedrooms. Everyone walked in and beheld the beauty of the bedroom. This room seemed as if it was created for the two-tailed creature himself; it was painted a bright, sunshine yellow and it held the perfect theme for the genius. I glanced around and noticed some types of tinkering equipment, clearly provided for the kit to entertain himself with.

"Well, this is your room, Tails. You like?" Amy asked.

"I love it, Amy! Thanks a bunch!" He hugged the girl in a grateful manner, and rushed over to the tinkering table.

"C'mon guys, your rooms are this way."

We all followed Amy out of the room, except for Tails. Rouge, Vector, Charmy, Espio, and Cream and Cheese were all talking about what they thought their rooms would look like. I kept quiet, though. I couldn't help but wonder if _my _room would accommodate my character and demeanor as Tails' room did his. But I kept my thoughts to myself, not wishing to share them with the others. Not even with Rouge, at the moment.

Amy ended up opening Cream's and Cheese's room next. The room was a creamy peach color, also bright. The furniture was white and comfortable-looking, fit for its soon-to-be inhabitants. After Cream and Cheese also expressed their gratitude with 'thank you's', we continued on to the other bedrooms. Vector, Charmy, and Espio received their rooms next, each room containing colors and items that went with their characters. Finally, Rouge and I were last. Rouge's room was up first, though. Her room was white with complimenting colors of hot pink and baby blue. I don't know exactly what to say about her room except that it _completely_ suited her. Rouge winked at Amy, expressing her thankfulness, and then closed her door for who knows why.

Rouge is a weird one whose actions often make me curious. But I don't question her, often. I just see her as the closest I have to a real friend, and I leave well enough alone. No need to start unnecessary trouble or cause disturbances, right?

Amy sighed, as if directing rooms, opening doors, and receiving thanks was such hard work, and she turned to face me. "Okay, Shadow. Your room is next. Just follow me!" She said with an exaggerated cheerfulness nearly capable of making me sick to my stomach. Nonetheless, I followed her in the direction of my bedroom, which didn't turn out to be very far from Rouge's. In fact, it was across and a door down from hers. When she opened the door and I stepped in, I was taken back.

I stood in slight shock at what my room looked like. You'd probably think that the room was a terribly lit one with black walls and solid hard tile. There would be barely anything in the room but the bed, a few drawers, and maybe a lamp with an old, dim light bulb. If anyone were to think that, I wouldn't know if I should take that type of thinking as a stupid stereotype or a very good assessment of my nature and personality. Despite the facts that I _am_ an onyx complexion, I seem to be . . . a _little _bit of a pessimist at times, and I usually seem to have a stoic disposition, my room seemed to reflect absolutely nothing of these characteristics. In fact . . .

. . . it seemed to reflect the exact opposite.

I looked around the room, almost gaping, at what the interior of _my_ room looked like. It left me in a state of complete shock. I froze and glanced at my surroundings.

"Shadow, what do you think?" Amy asked from behind me.

What did I _think_?

It was when she spoke did I realize my mouth was slightly opened and I was just staring into space. I shut my mouth quickly, and tried to change my expression so not to look alarmed about anything.

"Hn." I replied simply.

"Should I take that as an _'it's okay'_, then?"

I breathed deeply and faced her. I stared at her for a second, searching for any chance that this whole thing might be some type of prank or . . . or revenge for anything I had done to her, if I had done anything to her at all. As far as I could remember, I've never had anything to do with the hedgehog, good or bad. But, there was no sly look of revenge in her eyes. Her entire facial expression displayed a look of genuine concern as to whether or not I had appreciated the room and its newly renovated look.

"It's . . . fine. Thank you, Amy." I managed to say.

Her lips curved upward and she smiled wide. "I'm glad you like it." And she turned to leave, but before she did, "Oh, I almost forgot." She pointed to a white, rectangular contraption on the wall.

"These are the new speakers my dad had set up for the house. When lunch is ready, you'll hear me call on it for you to come down." She walked out and toward the second staircase, closer to my end of the hallway, which led downstairs. "Enjoy your room!"

I breathed deeply once again, taking in all that was around me. I suppose one might want to know why I felt so uptight. Well, while my apricot carpet and furniture, cobalt blue wallpaper, pure white closet doors and bedspreads, and red and white striped rug might have meant nothing to anyone, it meant so much more to me. The colors reminded me too much of past events. Bad events I'd only ever _dreamed _of ridding my memory of. It reminded me not only of past events, but people that remained in my past and haven't been in my present to this day.

And I don't think that _anyone_, no matter how hard I could try to explain to them, would understand how badly I wish I could change everything.

I walked over slowly and quietly to my bed, and I sat down gently. I could do nothing else but glance around the room, my head filled with past memories. There was nothing else for me to do at the moment. Nothing at all. I suddenly began to regret letting Rouge coax me into this event. I felt that, now, nothing could make this feeling of emptiness inside of me better. I remember how much I wanted to be seen to my room, earlier. I wanted to rest and relax. But now that I was here, I knew there was no chance of relaxation for me, at the moment. My mind couldn't focus on rest because it was solely focused on one thing, now. One person. One hedgehog.

. . . Sonic the Hedgehog.

I didn't realize how long I had actually sat on the bed until a loud, aggravating noise startled me from my left.

"**TIME TO EAT, EVERYONE!"**

Ugh. It was that annoying pink hedgehog on the loudspeaker.

**~.~.~.~.~**

Did I ever mention how irritating I thought Amy Rose was? I think I may have mentioned how I truly feel about her once or twice. But just for clarity, I'll give an example of why I feel this way. She chose to have us eating lunch outside in nearly one hundred degree weather. I couldn't stand the heat of the sun. It makes me feel weak and sluggish, and I simply don't like it. Who has picnics on their porches in incredibly humid weather? It didn't take an idiot to see the deeply implanted scowl on my face and to conclude that I was not pleased. I was annoyed.

Ludicrous!

"This is a great spot to have lunch, Amy." Said the fox. "It's so nice and warm and pleasant out here. The furniture is nice, too." He added with a smile, petting the soft cushions of the outside furniture and marveling at the decor. I glared at him for contradicting my feelings, but I don't think he saw me. Whatever.

"It sure is, Amy. I'm really glad you invited me and Cheese over to spend time with you." Cream said in her high-pitched. I can't fathom how anyone can understand what she's saying sometimes. I feel like I'm the only one that strains to hear what comes out of her mouth, half of the time.

"Chao Chao!" Said Cheese. I'm not even going to _try_ to understand what _that_ meant.

"It's nice alright, Amy, but _I _think the furniture would've looked nicer out if it were made of diamonds." Rouge replied. I think I've already mentioned that she has an irresistible, unhealthy fetish for diamonds and jewelry; I hope it doesn't lead her into a mess one of these days. A mess that I'll have to help her out of and clean up _for_ her.

"Is that all you think of?" The red knuckle-head scoffed. "You're too obsessed with things like that."

"What's the matter, red? Jealous, perhaps?" I rolled my eyes at her flirty behavior.

"Why on Angel Island would I be jealous of your dumb addictions? He retorted.

"I dunno. Why would you be?" She asked seductively, everyone, but me, now interested in the conversation between the two.

"I'm not!"

"You sure, red?"

"I'm positive!"

"Well, okay. But, don't worry. Jewels and gems aren't _all_ I think about." She winked at him.

Knuckles seemed to turn a slightly brighter red than he already was. I wouldn't have thought it was possible. "Shut up!" He crossed his arms in a somewhat pouting manner.

While Rouge and Knuckles were having their silly little arguments, Amy and Tails continued to talk, and the Chaotix, as Vector, Espio, and Charmy liked to be called, were messily eating lunch, chatting, and laughing at something. I just sat back observing my surroundings. Is this deafening noise what Rouge longed for? This is why she chose to come here?

I sat with a half-scowl on my face just thinking, _'I have a __**long**__ way to go before this is over.'_ I sighed, closing my eyes and shaking my head.

After about a minute, my eyes still closed, I could hear the Knuckles and Rouge had stopped speaking, and I felt a pair of eyes on me. I opened one of my own and looked around. Everyone was finished eating and they were getting up from the table to walk somewhere; also, Rouge was looking at me.

She sat in a chair to my left, so it was easy for her to lean over and talk to me, quietly.

"You okay, Shadow?"

"No. I'm not."

"What's wrong, then?"

I glared at her. She was what was wrong. She was the cause of my misery, even if it was just a mild one. It was misery, nonetheless.

"I just want to go home, Rouge." I answered. "There's no reason for me to be here."

"Well, do you want to come with us on a walk through Amy's garden and patio?" Rouge asked hopefully, pointing in the direction of the garden. Walking off of Amy's deck, there was a patio that led in between two huge shrubs. They stood at the entrance of what seemed to be a huge garden. "I don't normally care too much about plants and all those things, myself." Rouge continued. "But, I guess it's something to do, right?"

I didn't answer.

"Stripes, get up. You've gotta do something."

"As I stated before, there's nothing for me to do." I replied, plainly.

"You could actually socialize with everyone."

"I think I've told you before. I don't wish to speak with the likes of people I couldn't really give a damn about." I replied a little harsher than necessary. Hey, I had to get my point across, somehow."

"Well, that's your problem, Stripes. You're so busy wallowing in your own self pity for having nothing to do, but _you're _the reason you're so bored." She told me. What, was she Dr. Phil all of a sudden, now?

. . . I watch that show against my will. Not at the cause of my own entertainment.

I just turned away from her, not wanting to hear anyone explain to me _my_ problems. It's times like these she just doesn't understand me.

"C'mon, Shadow. Just talk to someone." I sat in my chair, staring at the same blade of grass I looked off to a second ago. I was hoping she would pick up the hint that I had no intentions of moving from my seated position, legs and arms crossed, leaning comfortably in my chair. I usually don't slouch, but I was exasperated. Sue me.

A small spark of triumph suddenly welled up in me as I saw Rouge huff at me and walk away. I smirked. I think Rouge, too often, mistakes my alone time for loneliness. It's silly of her, really. I'm not lonely. Once in a blue moon, I may enjoy the company of others around me, but now was not one of those times. And I was just glad she finally had left my side. Until I saw her walking, smiling, toward me once more. And this time, Charmy the bee was walking by her side, holding her hand. I frowned deeply and held the junctions between my eyes and my nose. **Why**did she insist on coming back?

"So Shadow, you've met Charmy, right?" Rouge asked me.

I glowered at her; she looked me dead in my eyes with a small smirk pasted on to her face. I knew, then, what she was attempting to do. How dare she try to _force_ me to involve myself with these unseemly creatures! I was too close to chucking the nearest item I could put my hands on, at her, whether it me a small pebble or an entire truck. Did she really think she could force _me_, the Ultimate Life-Form, to do something I specifically stated was against my wishes? I looked over at the poor creature standing beside her, twiddling with his fingers nervously as if he was afraid of something and didn't want to be here, either.

Now, I'm not a total heartless person. So for the sake of the small creature, Charmy, I nodded my head in response to Rouge's earlier question.

"Oh, great! And Charmy, I'm sure you know of Shadow." She turned to him.

"Yea . . . I do."

"Good, then you two can get better acquainted with each other, and I'll just walk over to the group." She began to walk. "You two can join us in the garden whenever you'd like." Rouge turned to walk back over to where everyone else was walking toward the garden. As she walked away from us, she seemed to give Charmy a look that I could tell was an understanding that Charmy was to stay in my company for a time. The bee simply nodded at her, and looked back over at me. He took a deep breath, exhaled it out, and opened his mouth to speak.

"Sooo . . . your name's Shadow, right?"

'_I __**definitely**__ have a long way to go before this is over.'_ I thought.

"Yea." I confirmed.

"Cool, cool. The name goes well with your color, ya'know."

I merely looked at him, stupidly. Usually this would give others the impression to stop talking to me, but not Charmy. He just continued on.

"People usually tell me my name goes well with my character, too! Everyone says I'm a charming type of person, so the name 'Charmy' fits me! Ha ha!" He giggled. I just glared off into space, wondering if I could get arrested for hurting that bat. She'd better hope that I don't see her until my angered mood calms down. Suddenly, my eyes widened as I felt something touch me. I looked down at my wrists and saw Charmy's hands on my bracelets.

"COOOOoooool! Where'd you get these from?" He showed excitement. "I've always wanted these. They look just like the ones from the commercial! Is that where you got them from? Can you tell me where you got them? Can you, Shadow? Can you?"

It suddenly dawned on me that Charmy wasn't brought over to me because we _both_ didn't want to be here. Rouge brought him over here out of some sick enjoyment for him to annoy me.

My mind was made up.

I was definitely going to hurt her.

"You always have the coolest stuff on, Shadow. . . . Well, not the coolest. Maybe the second coolest to me, because my stuff is pretty cool. People have told me so." He stated proudly.

"That's great, Char—" I tried, but was interrupted.

"You know what would be cooler than cool? If you'd let me have one of your golden bracelet things!"

"They're not bracelets!" I retorted bitterly. "They're . . . they're wristbands. And, no. You can't have one." These things were special to me. They were gifts given to me a few years ago from . . . from him. And even through all that has happened between us, I was reluctant to take them off. And I was pretty ticked off that this childish creature had the guts to touch such priceless, personal items of mind. And even though they _were_ bracelets in actuality, I wasn't about to admit that to him. Bracelets were for females, were they not?

"Aw. Please, Shadow? Please? Just one. Please! Please! Plleeeeeaseeee?" He begged, loudly and incessantly.

My head was throbbing to the point of eruption. I couldn't take any more. That bat was beyond hurt, and I was beyond agitation.

"**LOOK**, you damn height-challenged, idiotic pest!" I spat harshly in his face, with an darkly evil look on my own. My face was dangerously close to his; I was able to clearly see his facial expression change from one of pleading to one of fear and alarm. "I've had it up to here with your consistent babbling!" I clenched my hands together into fists, sending warnings to the bee that I'd had enough. "If you don't get away from me as fast as you came over here, I can personally promise you an **agonizing** pain you probably never knew existed! Do . . . I make . . . myself . . . **clear**?"

He nodded his head so fast, half of his brain probably spilled out. Then, he flew off in the direction of the garden and the group.

I slammed my hand down on the table, hard enough to release some of my anger, but not hard enough to break the glass table we had eaten lunch on.

Where was Rouge, I wondered. I was definitely going to put her through hell after all the hell she's shoved _me_ through so far!

***Ding*Dong***

Suddenly, I heard a chiming sound. I stood still for a second, waiting to see if something was supposed to happen.

Nothing.

So, I started off in the direction of the garden. But then, I heard it again.

***Ding*Dong***

***Ding*Dong***

I turned around in the direction of the mansion to the right of me, and I walked toward the doors of the deck leading into the house. When I opened the doors and walked in, I heard it again.

***Ding*Dong***

It was the doorbell.

I turned around and looked outside of the house toward the garden to see if anyone was coming, particularly Amy, and to see if anyone else had heard the doorbell. No one was coming. I shut the doors behind me, and I walked in the direction of the front door. At first, I was apprehensive about answering Amy's front door; it wasn't my house, after all. Why should I answer it?

***DingDong*DingDong****

Never mind.

Whoever was outside of this door was persistent about someone answering it, so I grabbed the door handle and pulled it open, roughly. However, when I opened it, I was not at all prepared for the visitor that awaited me on the other side of the front door.

. . . I couldn't move . . . I couldn't breathe . . . and I was almost positive that my heart stopped pumping, as well.

I was just . . . speechless. Stunned. I didn't know what to do or think, but to stand their and gaze deeply in the eyes of the visitor standing in front of me. I looked the visitor up and down, praying to the heavens that the one in front of me was truly there, and that I wasn't dreaming.

" . . . Shadow." The other spoke.

It wasn't a dream, I realized. The visitor was really standing in front of me, looking almost just as shocked as I was, maybe just a little less.

'_That voice . . . '_, I thought. I hadn't heard it in forever. For almost three years, I was deprived of its beautiful sound. But, now it finally reunited with me. I just couldn't believe it. I stared deeply and intently into the eyes of the other. The eyes had changed since the last time I saw them. They weren't a deep penetrating black, any longer, but an emerald green that became imprinted into my mind. They were beyond breath-taking. And so was the visitor standing in front of me. The visitor I had waited so long to see, again.

I don't think anyone else is capable of making me feel this way. But, I finally found the courage to open my mouth and respond to the visitor standing at the door.

". . . Sonic."


	5. Chapter 5: Catching Up

**Author's Note:** Hello, everyone! It's definitely been awhile since I've uploaded any chapters of my stories. My life becomes busier and busier as I get older. Clearly. Lol! And on top of that, the summer is almost over, so I definitely can not promise or determine how fast or how long it will take me to upload new chapters sooner. But, thank you readers for the wait, and I'm sorry for how long it's been. I love you guys! Welllllll, here's a new chapter! R&R&Enjoy! : )

**Disclaimer:** I DO NOT OWN ANY OF THESE SONIC THE HEDGEHOG CHARACTERS.

* * *

><p>Nothing, I repeat, <strong>NOTHING<strong> could prepare me for the current situation that I was in.

I would have never in my craziest fantasies thought that Sonic, my once best friend and greatest companion, my old love, my everything, would show up at Amy's mansion in front of me here after all of this time. Sonic has always been a friend of Amy, the crazy pink hedgehog who, to this day, still holds a torch for him. He's known well for being present for all of his friends' events or outings, so the surprise is not that he showed up to support Amy at her party. The surprise is that he showed up _knowing_ that _**I**_ would be here. Why would he come? He had to have known that I would be here.

Or did he?

" . . . S-So . . . Sonic . . ." I stuttered, miserably. Stuttering is not a word in my mind's vocabulary. It's just something that I don't do, being a being of utmost confidence. Maybe I need to start getting more sleep, and keeping more of a distance from that crazy bat. What an idiot I must have looked like in front of my old flame. If good first impressions are everything, I would probably have nothing, at this point.

Sonic's face turned from the initial look of surprise from when he first saw me to a stoic look that could shatter mine to pieces. As my eyes stared straight into his addicting emeralds, I noticed that his gaze began to look me up and down as if examining me. Assessing me. I'm sure he knew, without a doubt, who he was standing in front of. Nothing about me had really changed since our last meet, except maybe my height and my sneakers. Rouge insisted I get the latest hover sneakers in all of the different colors. "_I just couldn't be seen walking around her in the fashions from five years ago,"_ is what I believe she told me. I could care less what I walk around in, because when it is all said and done, anyone that has a quandary with me can catch a hard fist to the eye.

Anyway, I noticed that Sonic was finished looking me over and his eyes had finally found his way to my own. My ruby orbs clashed with his emerald orb in a staring match that he was clearly winning. I've never felt so weak under his gaze before. It has always been he who has faltered under _my_ gaze for as long as I can remember. But, I guess time changes all. And I can't help but still hold some type of attachment to the beauty in front of me.

God, he's so beautiful.

I tried to speak, again. "W-what are you doing here?" I stuttered, again, while mentally slapping myself over and over again. I stood, still standing in the doorway holding the door open.

"I'm here for _Amy_." I took note at the clear emphasis he placed on the childish hedgehog's name. I nodded slightly in understanding. There was an uncomfortable silence for a few seconds that appeared as if it had lasted for a few hours before Sonic spoke again. Good heavens! Where were _my_ original stoic emotions and my uncaring attitude when I needed them most? I felt like a mess in front of my old flame. "Why are _you_ here?" He spat coldly and emotionlessly.

A pang of small pain seemed to hit me in my heart ever so slightly. Why? Don't ask me. Because I won't answer that to the likes of anyone. I don't like to speak about the matters of my heart or even hint about those matters. I like to think that I don't _have _a heart at most times, but anyone seeing my behavior in front of Sonic would surely learn otherwise.

I did my utmost best to pick myself up in front of Sonic. I wet the inside of my dry, parched mouth, and I opened it to speak clearly and confidently. About as clearly and confidently as I could, I guess.

"Rouge dragged me along . . . so I . . . I-I came with her."

"Oh." He simply replied. "Wasn't really expecting to see you here." He said. "_Or hoping_." He rolled his breath-taking eyes and mumbled under his breath to himself. But, I heard him. Another pang of pain to my heart. Two for Sonic, nothing for Shadow, **the** Ultimate Life Form.

Shameful.

Meanwhile, another awkward silence had occurred before he spoke, startling me out of _whatever_ I was thinking.

"Well, what are you still standing in front of the door for?" He asked in a somewhat attitudinal manner. I didn't respond. I didn't really know what to say. Why _was_ I still standing in the doorway? Whatever the reason, it didn't matter because before I knew it, Sonic had shoved, not roughly, his way past me and through the doorway and into the foyer. He had _some_ nerve, I supposed. He placed down the heavy-looking suitcases and other objects that, for some reason, I hadn't realized existed until he placed them there. The very sight of him had just placed me in a state of utter shock. I really wasn't expecting him to show his face, at all. However, I'm glad that he had.

I felt as if my birthday had come earlier than usual and the ultimate present was delivered to me, right here and now. I knew, without a doubt, that he would harbor some feelings, which probably bordered along the line of hostile, towards me. I didn't blame him. I couldn't. It's my fault that things are the way they are, after all. And I know that. But, I still want nothing more than to see his face. To be in his presence. To be able to look him in the eyes. After he had set his bags down, he faced the doorway and me as if to go back outside. But I had so many questions to ask him. As he took his first step closer, I stopped him in his tracks.

"So. How have you been?" He raised an eyebrow, slightly, and just stared at me, making complete eye contact. I remember when he was afraid to make any type of eye contact with me, at all. How the times can change someone! "I mean, I haven't seen you around or anything like that in three years, ya' know."

"Yeah." He said back.

"What have you been up to?" I tried again.

"Nothing important." He stated. It was _painfully_ obvious that these pieces of conversation were moving nowhere fast. And I was desperate to hold him where I had him for as long as I could. I did _not_ want anything to stand in between me and those emerald eyes that I just couldn't seem to take my own eyes off of.

"What happened to your eyes?" I cleared my throat and asked bluntly. I never _was_ known to beat around the bush.

"What?" He glared.

"Your eyes, what happened to them? D-did you get contacts or . . ."

"No." He cut me off. "I didn't get contacts."

"Well, what happened to the onyx color?" I asked. I wanted to know. I was curious. What had happened to the deep, penetrating pools of onyx that I used to drown in when I looked into his eyes? And how were they replaced with the beautiful green that were, dare I say, ten times better than the darker color that I used to know?

"These are _my_ eyes, Shadow." The way he said my name, so coolly and deeply, gave me chills all inside my body. His voice would always do that to me, whether he was aware of it or not.

"They can't be."

"They are." He breathed deeply, trying to show that he was exasperated with the conversation.

"Well, where did your darker eyes go?" I questioned him.

He stared me in my face for a good few seconds before stoically explaining. "They were contacts. They weren't my real eyes."

I was completely taken aback. Sonic had worn contacts all this time? Really?

"Why?" I asked.

"I didn't like my eyes, then, okay?"

"But . . ." I dared take a step closer to my ex. ". . . they're beautiful." I accidently slipped out as I gazed helplessly into his eyes. I think that if I looked into them for way too long, I would probably sink and drown in those emerald pools. I didn't care. I couldn't even help myself. I was lost in my own little world while looking into Sonic's eyes. I wondered how anyone could glance at him once without doing a double. Sonic had definitely grown over the years; his spikes had gotten longer, he had gotten a little taller, though still not taller than me, his body was a fitness machine to die for, and then there was those eyes, again. The eyes that put me in another state of mind. *sigh* I don't mean for this moment to sound like a frivolous romance novel, but that was how it played out. Sonic makes me do, say, and think things that I just cannot control.

"Whatever." He spat. Here was my love. My beautiful azure, green-eyed, grown-up love. Not even honoring my compliment in the lowest form. But, somehow . . . I didn't care. I just wanted to be with him. I ventured a step closer.

"Sonic . . ."

"_What_, Shadow?" He glared at me, coldly. It was a glare I recognized all too well. I recognized it because he got it from me. The only difference was that _this _glare seemed to be thrown at me tenfold worse than what I had ever given him.

"I . . ." I took a **very** deep breath as I took a chance to say the next three words that emerged from my mouth. "I miss you."

Ha! The 'L' word? Too soon to use that one. Although I could have used that word on my former love and still meant it from the deepest depths of my mind, heart, and soul, it's way too early to risk such a high form of embarrassment by admitting feelings that were definitely unrequited. I am _not_ as naïve as that simple, little, pink-haired girl.

However, I did not say that I wasn't risking **some** form of embarrassment by using the 'M' word, either.

In fact, I didn't even receive a response from whom I was talking to.

"Don't you miss me?" I questioned. His answer was colder than cold. Colder than ice cubes. Colder than the month of January. Colder than any glare that I had received from him since he had gotten here. And I had received a few cold ones.

"Not even a little. If I had even _thought_ you were coming, I would have told Amy that I wouldn't."

Pang of pain number three to my heart. If he keeps it up, at this rate, I'll probably be dead in a few hours.

I couldn't help but question, though.

"Why?"

"Because I don't like you. That's why."

Well. If that wasn't putting it bluntly, I honestly would not know what is. Nonetheless, I took another step closer to him. "Are you planning on being this cold to me this whole time?"

He stepped back and stepped around me to get to the doorway. I immediately got in front of him and closed the front door before he could walk out. He turned around to glare at me, and he found that my being was now only mere inches from his. "Are you?"

"Yes, Shadow! I am!" He semi-shouted. He made a 180 to try to open the front door, and he continued to struggle until he happened to see my hand pressed firmly against the door. I think that was when he realized that he wasn't going anywhere, yet. He turned back around to face me and noticed that I had gotten slightly closer to him. He backed up every time I moved closer, but his space eventually ran out. His back was to the wall; he had no choice but to face me. And I wasn't letting him leave me so easily.

Not again, like I did the last time.

I looked him in the face like I never had before. I missed these moments when I could stare at him for as long as my heart desired. I thirsted for these moments for three years. And I'll be damned if I let them slip through my fingers these three weeks that we're within reach of each other, whether he's angry with me or not.

I watched as his glare had gotten deeper and deeper. Damn, I'm a good teacher. And he's an even better learner. As he seemed to get more angry and exasperated with how close we were, his cheeks blushed a deeper and deeper shade of pink. I know that he was embarrassed at our proximity. Sonic was never comfortable with close contact. I didn't expect him to change that. But, he clearly didn't want me to recognize the embarrassment that I had already seen, so . . .

"Shadow, get the hell away from me," . . . was what he said.

"Why should I, Sonic?" I asked, softly, as I inched closer and closer. I thanked the high heavens that we were still alone in our own solitude. I secretly hoped to myself that the other pests had gotten attack by wild grass monkeys or tree tigers or . . . or something silly. _Anything_ to keep Sonic and me alone.

"Because I _said_ so, you asshole!" He said, angrily.

"Sonic," I reached out and gently grabbed his chin, forcing him to look at me. "I just want to be close to you. Is that too much to ask?"

He roughly shoved my hand away. "Considering all _you've _done to me, yeah. It is."

He turned back around, away from me, in his confined space, and he tried his luck at the door, again.

Honestly, I don't know what put me in such a bold mood. As I stated before, Sonic can cause me to commit the most uncanny actions. I softly pressed my body against Sonic and used my arm to engulf his waist. I heard his gasp softly and immediately at the contact of my arm against his skin, and around his waist, no less. I wasn't in my right state of mind. I couldn't cause my brain to process normally. It was as if someone had switched my brain from manual to automatic, because I was no longer in control. I just reacted to how I felt at that moment. And in that moment, I was in total bliss being in the presence of my love. Sonic, however, was petrified.

"Sh-Shadow! Wh-what are you d-doing?" He stuttered, quietly.

"Sonic, please. Don't be this way to me." I started.

"Shadow, leave me alone and get off of . . ." He was interrupted; I couldn't hear him, anyway.

"Sonic, I miss you so much. You don't know how long I've wanted to see you. I've wanted to see you so bad, Sonic."

"I don't care, Shadow. I don't like you _that way_, anymore! So just . . . j-just get off!" I still didn't hear a single, solitary word he had said. But, I could feel his body heating up through our close contact. His whole body was getting hot. And by instinct, I just knew that he was blushing hard. Being taller than him, I rested my head on his shoulder. He was too flustered and weak to shake me off, anyhow. So, when I felt his hands touch my arm to shove it away, the way he had so rudely done to my hand earlier, I simply, yet passionately wrapped my other arm around his waist along with my arm that was already there, and I held him tighter and closer to my body, while pressing his body against the door. There was no way he could escape. He was trapped. Cat and mouse.

"Shadow." He called my name in a weaker tone than before. No longer did he sound hostile or angry, but helpless and defenseless. He _needed _for me to let him go. Because he knew there was no way he was getting out on his own. And there was no chance in hell he was escaping with an angry, arrogant attitude. So, I guessed he used a different approach. All the same, though, it still didn't work. "Shadow, _please_. Let go of me." He spoke softly.

"I can't, Sonic." I responded. "Not again." I was really in my feelings, now. "Not ever again."

I lowered my face down to the crook of his shoulder and began to leave small trails of kisses starting from his shoulder. "Shadow!" He cried softly. "Stop!" But, I wouldn't. And I never wanted to. "Stop it, Shadow."

"No, Sonic." I mumbled. I wouldn't. I just _couldn't_.

He tried to pry away from my embrace, again. But, it was no use. His efforts were futile. As I said before, there were _no_ means of escape for him.

"I've waited so long for this." I mumbled in between kisses as I traveled from his shoulder to his neck. "Three years. And I'm not stopping, now."

"Shadow, if you don't get off of me, **now**, I'll—Ahh! Shadow!" He cried as I bit down to make my mark near his shoulder blade. Another thing about me: I'm a very possessive person. I always leave a mark somehow on what I believe is rightfully and justifiably mine. As Sonic is.

"Quiet down." I shushed him. My arms loosened from his waist and began at the top of the sides of his torso. They slowly and sensually made their way down to his abdominal area. It seemed as if my hands had lives of their own, almost as attracted to Sonic and his beautiful body as much as I was. I don't think I've used the word 'beautiful' so much in such a short time, before. At least not while Sonic was far from my presence. But, that's what this hedgehog does to me.

But, I digress.

"Take your hands _off _of me!" He continued to say over and over as he tried to wiggle his way out of my grasp to no avail. He acted as if he hated being under my touch. But, I _know_ he liked it. He would sooner or later if we continued in the direction we were headed, anyway. He-he!

Instead of releasing my hands, they continued to travel downward further and further. They finally found their way to the azure hedgehog's hips, rubbing sensually as they got there. "Argh! **Get **. . . _**off**_!" He tried and tried. Still no use.

I pushed him as close as I could to the door, his body still pressed up on mine in the most sensual way possible. My kisses had finally reached his jawbone. Sonic was begging and pleading for me to stop, but I was not complying to his requests. I was drifting further and further into a mindset of no immediate return. As thoughts of what I should do to him filled my head, I started feeling a tingling sensation in . . . a more private region of mine. I hadn't felt like this in so long. Only he could make me feel this way. And I didn't want this feeling, nor my azure love to leave.

My hands roaming and rubbing alongside the sides of Sonic's body had lowered closer and closer to more private regions of his, as well.

When I allowed my hands to find his thighs, I knew where things would be headed if just a little more time would expend. I was ready.

I didn't want to wait any longer.

"Sh-Shadow . . . n-no. P-please. Y-you can't do this, Shadow!" He pleaded weakly, his voice trembling and shaking at the pleasure that I knew he felt merely from my sensual touches and soft kisses.

I can't? Oh, I can't, can't I?

The _hell _I _can_, I thought.

"And why can't I, Sonic?" I whispered gently in his ear, gaining pleasure from the immediate shudder I felt from him because of me.

About two point six seconds later, but who's really counting, I found out why I couldn't continue my pleasuring act.

***DingDong*DingDong***

I was startled out of my actions. I noticed how quickly Sonic snapped up; he did a complete and sudden 180, and he shoved as far back as he could from him. I'm sure my facial expression had morphed into one of utter confusion.

"See?!" Sonic reprimanded. "I _told_ you to stop, you stupid bastard! What if she _saw_ what you were doing to me?"

. . . huh?

"Wh-what's going on?" I asked. "What are you talking about? . . . and who is she?"

So . . . was it over? I hadn't the chance to even take our little segment to where I wanted it to go . . . and now it's over? Because of some 'she'? Who was it? His mother? His sister? A cousin or an aunt, maybe?

The only thing I knew was that whoever dared interrupt me during my time of need had better harbor the capability to withstand the **meanest** right hook known in this ridiculous existence. I walked back up toward Sonic to demand an explanation. "Sonic, what—". He stopped me in my tracks and glared at me before he opened the door. He whispered to me, "If you **ever** try that shit on me again, I'm gonna kill you." He spat with such venom, hatred, and disdain toward me in his eyes that I wasn't used to seeing in my Sonic. Where has all this emotion come from? . . . Oh, well. Back to square one, I guess.

***DingDong*DingDong*** The doorbell rang, again.

"Who the hell is at the door?" I questioned. But, there was no answer from my love.

All Sonic did next was open the front door to whoever the visitor was on the other side of it. What happened next almost made my breath stop.

"Hey, sweetie." _She_ said, as she walked up to him and connected her lips with his.

. . .

. . . . .

. . . . . . .

**Who the bloody **_**hell**_** was this? **


	6. Chapter 6: The Newcomer

**Author's Note:** Hey everyone; I've been having a little writer's block. That's why my uploads have not been as consistent as they could be. But, trust me when I say that I'm working on that. I want to actually finish a story, even though I'm working on another one, right now. And yeah, it might be another Sonadow only because I'm literally in love with that pairing! LOL But hopefully you'll all like it, though. Well, here's the next chapter! And btw, I have to thank the reviewers for reviewing. I'm going to start doing that to show how much I appreciate you guys. I'll start probably responding to five or ten reviewers in my chapters. It depends. But, once again, I love you guys! **R&R&ENJOY!**

**Disclaimer:** I DO NOT OWN ANY OF THESE SONIC THE HEDGEHOG CHARACTERS.

* * *

><p>Speechlessness.<p>

The state of not being able to speak, not knowing what to say; being unable to formulate words and sentences; the disability to verbally communicate thoughts and feelings to another individual or to many individuals; the feeling that I, Shadow the Hedgehog: **Ultimate Life Form**, that of which there _is_ no other, felt once I had witnessed the blasphemy that took place right before my very eyes.

As soon as Sonic had opened the door, the next thing that I knew was that he was under attack. At least, that was what it seemed like from my point of view. His attacker emerged from behind the front door, and just . . . just leaped and latched onto him. Except _this_ antagonist didn't attack at him with hard-hitting punches and low-blow kicks. No! _This_ aggressor, a female aggressor, might I add, attacked him by grabbing him close, _extremely_ too close for my liking, throwing her arms around him, and attacking him in the face . . . on the lips . . .

. . . with her _**own**_ lips!

A battle is what took place in front of me between those two. A fight. A struggle. I guess it would have looked like a kiss to anyone else. But, not to my eyes.

The sight was excruciating. It was excruciating to my eyes, my feelings, and most importantly, my heart. Fuck _anyone_ who says that I don't have one. Because the painful ripping I seemed to feel in my chest, caused by the scene in front of me, had to mean that _some_ type of sentimental organ existed in my body. It was a wonder that I was able to contain myself at the mere sight, let alone the thought of what was actually taking place.

In fact if I can recall, a few moments ago, _**I**_ was my blue divine beauty's aggressor. And now, with a simple open of the door, someone else is mauling him in the middle of the foyer.

_And by a fucking female?!_

After the girl had finally called off her violent attack, she took a step back and seemed to notice that she and her victim weren't the only living, breathing beings in the room.

. . . Selfish bitch.

She turned her face to see me standing there, inwardly seething at what I had to witness. Her chestnut brown eyes met mine, and she said, "Oh, hi. I didn't know there was anyone else

in the room. Guess I got a little carried away, there, ha-ha!"

I quietly scoffed. A little carried away?

. . . Stupid bitch.

"I'm Sally Acorn, Sonic's girlfriend," she said, extending her left hand toward my direction while her other hand held strong and true to Sonic.

. . . Girlfriend.

. . . _Girlfriend_?!

There was no way in the deepest, darkest pits of hell that Sonic the Hedgehog had a girlfriend. There was just illogical.

Sonic used to be **mine**, once upon a time. Last time I looked down, I was a male. This girl had to be lying. She just had to be. Either way, I refused to believe her. And why was her hand still extended. Did this twit really expect me to shake her hand?

Ha! I felt sorry for the poor, pitiful creature standing before me. She had absolutely no idea whatsoever of with whom she was introducing herself to. Right off the bat, I knew three things about her, already. She was selfish, she was stupid, and she was a bitch. However, she knew nothing about me. Me. Her worst nightmare. Her new mortal enemy.

Her grim reaper that would send her on a one-way ticket to hell for the unforgiveable crime she had earlier committed against the lips of the love of my life.

. . . Okay, so that last one was a bit dark, but I wouldn't be Shadow the Hedgehog if it wasn't, now would I?

I narrowed my eyes and glanced somewhere to the side, well aware that the girl's hand was still extended, and with no intention of returning the cordial offer of a hand shake.

"Eh-erm!" I looked back in front of me to the source of the throat-clearing noise, and I saw Sonic, glaring at me from behind the girl, whose eyebrow was slightly raised as if to wonder about whether or not I would shake her hand. Sonic's glare seemed to say to me, _'shake her hand, or else!'_. Any other day with any other person, I would glare right back with a simple flick of 'the bird'.

But, this was not any other day with any other person. I knew that my eyes softened a little just by looking at him, and I knew that I couldn't just ignore the girl, whoever she might be to him.

I finally took her hand. "Shadow." I stated plainly. "Shadow the Hedgehog."

She smiled. It appeared to be a kind smile, not completely sincere, but satisfied. I noted that smile. I noted her every moves. I noted her entire appearance. The girl was some weird mixture of a chipmunk and a squirrel, but I couldn't tell the difference, nor did I really care to. She was also the shortest of Sonic and I, but not much farther from Sonic's height. She wore a blue colored vest with matching go-go-looking boots, which I'm almost _positive_ died out decades ago. Her hair was an auburn-brownish color, complimenting her brown-skinned fur, and it was cut short, but she had bangs in the front. Long I don't usually care to describe what people look like. But, I guess if I don't, how would anyone ever get the picture, right?

I hadn't figured out yet if her entire demeanor was mainly business with a dash of wild side, or prissy princess who had to have things her way down to the tiniest detail. Hmph! I'll figure that out eventually.

"It's nice to meet you, Shadow." She smiled, again. I'm beginning to get tired of her smile. "How have you been enjoying everything, so far?"

Ugh.

Rouge and I played this game once, against my will. Twenty-one questions, I think it was.

"Fine." I lied.

"Uh . . . eh, cool! How do you know Amy?"

How do I know someone I wish _not_ to know?

"From Sonic." The plain and simple truth.

"Oh, that's . . . that's cool." Sally giggled, uneasily. If she thought that she would evoke a full-fledged conversation out of me, she should've thought again. My answers would remain terse, quick and to the point. Nothing more.

"So, that means you and Sonic know each other, then?" She pointed back and forth between the two of us, looking at us both.

"Yes."

"For how long?"

"A few years."

"No way. How did you meet?"

Would these senseless questions never cease?

"It's a long story." I was not about to delve into the tale about how I was mistaken for my blue love, how we started out as arch rivals, and eventually became close to the likes of this simple female.

"I've got time." She tried.

"I don't." I retorted.

"Oh . . . okay. Well, so, what are you two to each other?"

Sonic eyes snapped up from wherever they were looking off to. He looked over at Sally's form first before glancing over at me.

"Uhh," Sonic opened his mouth for the first time since this drivel conversation started. "We're nothing, Sal. Just nothing."

Ouch.

"Eh . . . nothing?" Sally questioned, puzzled.

I dared glance up at Sonic to see if he really meant his blunt statement, silently praying to myself that the hurt that I had begun to feel was not reflected in my eyes as I gazed at him. I knew it was no use, though. Back then when we were close, we learned how to read each other very well. One look from the other and we could almost instantaneously decipher how the other was feeling, what was wrong, or what was right. Almost as if we were books only open for each other to read and for no one else.

But, this was different. _He_ was different. I couldn't read him at all by looking at him, right now. As I looked past the girl and into his eyes, searching for some sort of clue that he was only saying words to make me angry, to hurt me like I did him, or whatever his motive, I couldn't find a single answer. It was like I was locked out. I couldn't tell whether or not he meant what he was saying. So, I had to assume that he meant what he said. That we really were . . . _are_ . . . "nothing".

And that was what was hurting me.

"Nothing at all." He confirmed.

" . . . then, uh . . . why do—"

"Uh, Sal, I think it's time we go see the others, don't 'cha think?" Sonic said.

"Oh, yeah! I almost forgot." She said with a smile on her face. And Sonic began to pull her arm gently in the opposite direction from me.

"Well, c'mon then. We don't wanna keep 'em waiting!"

"Oh, okay. Well, it was nice meeting you, Shadow!" The chipmunk-_thing_ waved to me. _Taunting_ me was more of the proper word.

I said nothing in response. No "likewise" or "same to you" or anything of that nature. I just stood there taking in the full of what just happened in front of me. My love, the one who had been avoiding me for so long, the one who I'd thought I would never have the pleasure of seeing again, just walked through the front door of this _condemned_ place. I looked at him. I talked to him. I _touched_ him. Practically _held_ him, damn it! My chance of explaining myself to him was right in front of me; I had the chance to apologize, to get down on my knees like I've never done before, and to beg, _no_, to **grovel** at his feet . . . well, alright. Maybe not grovel . . . and maybe not _beg_ either, but just passionately ask for his forgiveness. And not even a whole ten minutes pass by without some feminine eyesore jumping him, stealing him away from me, and potentially destroying **any** chance of him and I reconciling.

And to add icing onto this blasphemous cake, he thinks nothing of our past relationship, our past friendship, or me.

Normally, being the Ultimate Life Form, I have a plan and an answer to anything and everything. At the current moment in time, I have absolutely _nothing_ to counteract my situation nor my undoubtedly heartbroken feelings. My thought process was simply blocked. And only Sonic had the capability of doing that to me. He held the power that caused me to feel like this, whether he knew it or not.

I couldn't do anything. Nothing but wish that I was away from here. Far away from here. And I have Rouge to blame for dragging me along, here. These bad events and situations of mine usually seem to go back around to her.

I'll have to 'thank' her for this later. Somehow.

* * *

><p>So, after the little spectacle that took place earlier on in the foyer of the house, everyone managed to find their way back from that little garden maze in Amy's backyard. Just as they had come in the house and made their way into the living room, they met up with Sonic and . . . Sally, his little female "acquaintance". Because I would be damned if I acknowledged or even thought of the girl as my love's girlfriend.<p>

Everyone gave their greetings to Sonic and acted as if they hadn't seen them in decades; the truth of the matter was that we haven't seen him in three years. Maybe everyone else had received phone calls, text messages, and maybe even emails from him. There's no doubt in my mind that Tails had kept up with Sonic over the years, even if the contact wasn't physically visual. If there was anyone in the world that Sonic would keep in contact with, no matter what the cost, it would undoubtedly be the little two-tailed fox deemed Sonic's little brother.

Sonic was welcomed with handshakes, hugs, and all that nonsense. In short, everybody was ecstatic to see him. No emotion could compare to how _I_ felt when I laid eyes on him for the first time in a few years. Absolutely _no one_ compared. But, I guess they came pretty close.

After Sonic's greetings were paid, all eyes seemed to turn curiously to the chipmunk girl standing off a little to the side. A corner was really where she belonged if you ask me.

"Well," Rouge started off, swaying her hips as she took steps toward the newcomer. If I didn't know Rouge the way I know her, I would probably have thought she was trying to come on to the chipmunk girl. But, like I said, I know her better than that. "Who do we have here? I've never seen you before, hun."

Sally, with her hands behind her back finally stepped forward. "Hi, everyone. I'm Sally Acorn." She extended her hand to Rouge as she had previously done to me.

Rouge looked the chipmunk girl up and down before slightly nodding her head in a manner that appeared to be approval. She then extended her own hand. "I'm Rouge the Bat," she winked. "Nice to meet'cha, sweetie. Aren't you just so cutely put together!"

Sally chuckled lightly and smiled uneasily. "Thanks, I guess."

Amy, that obnoxious pink runt, forced her way through the small crowd of friends, and made her way to the front. She also looked Sally up and down before smiling from ear to ear.

"Hi! I'm Amy Rose, and welcome to my humble abode! It's nice to meet you!" She said in a friendly warm tone. Pretty soon, the chipmunk girl was introduced to everyone in the room, except for Sonic and myself. Everyone was kind and caring to the new girl; Amy was extremely warm to the girl, almost as if she had found a new best friend.

"So, Sally," Amy started when everyone had sat down and gotten themselves together. "Who'd you come here with?"

"Oh, I came with Sonic, of course!" She beamed. I glared at the floor from my seat in the reading chair, the seat that I grabbed because I insisted on sitting alone. However, everyone else's appearances changed ever so slightly on impact of hearing that the chipmunk girl had accompanied Sonic to this silly party.

" . . . O-oh. Well, h-how did you hear about my party?"

"Sonic told me about it. When he told me about you, he mentioned that you have some kind of cool birthday celebration every year. He told me that he wanted to come this year, and insisted that I come with him." The chipmunk girl explained with a smile.

I looked over at Amy and saw that her curious expression had turned into a slight glare directed toward Sonic. "So, if you were aware of my annual birthday parties, how come you haven't been coming for the past few years? Hmm?"

Sonic reached up to rub the back of his head nervously, and he chuckled lightly. "Ha! I, uh . . . I just had some things to do, Ames. I couldn't make it the past few times; I'm sorry. But, hey, at least I showed up this time. That counts for something, right?"

Amy began to grin. "Mmm, I guess so. But, don't miss it again, Sonic." She demanded. "We haven't seen you for years, and everyone in this room has missed you." Everyone, but I, nodded in agreement.

"Aw, well I missed you guys, too." He stated. I looked over at him and didn't miss his slight glance at me as I managed to catch him mumble, "Well, _most _of you, anyway."

I wonder if that beautiful, blue bastard knew that with each insulting, ill-minded comment or statement he hurled at me, a little piece of my heart died every time. I can't really say it was a good feeling, either.

Not like Sonic cared.

"Well, anywho, I'm still glad you made it this time. And I'm glad Sonic brought you along for the ride, Sally." Amy exclaimed. "So, are you two old schoolmates or something?"

"No."

"Relatives somehow?" Knuckles asked. Only a true idiot would somehow piece together that a chipmunk-type and a hedgehog could possibly be relatives. All I had the energy to do was roll my eyes at that stupid statement.

"Nope." Sally giggled. I noticed Sonic rolled his eyes in an exasperated manner, as well. "We're definitely not relatives, thank God."

"Are ya' neighbors?" Charmy tried next.

"Eh, I guess you could say that." The chipmunk said. As the crowd of naïve friends neared closer and closer to unveiling the hideous truth, I merely slumped in the reading chair. I had already discovered what the related connection was between the chipmunk girl and my former love; I didn't wish to hear it again.

"Well, then how do you and Sally know each other, Mr. Sonic?" Cream asked sweetly and innocently.

Before the azure hedgehog could answer, that annoying little chipmunk thing did.

"I'm Sonic's girlfriend." She proclaimed to the world, or at least to the people in this living room. I looked around to discover that nearly everyone's facial expression became that of wide-open eyes, dropped jaws, or if you were Knuckles, a slight smirk accompanied by a small shake of the head. The room had gotten quiet for a few awkward moments, and before I actually knew it, I discovered that everyone's eyes had shifted to me.

They seemed to look at me as they remembered what the past used to be. They gawked as if they were wondering if _I_ had heard the chipmunk girl's proclamation about her relations with my former. They stared at me as if they expected me to **do** something about the whole situation. Maybe they thought I would blow up. Maybe they thought I would break down. Maybe they thought I would beat the girl up, leaving her in a traumatic state that would haunt and chase her for the rest of the days of her natural life. And honestly, inside, I felt like doing all of that. But, the fact of the matter was that I _couldn't _do any of that. At least not at the time. No. As agitated and ticked off as I was, I couldn't lose my marbles, blow completely off the handle, and act a fool in front of my past love, right?

I could feel my face burning with the hardest, most detrimental glare I had probably ever held on my face. How could anyone _not_ expect me to explode?

But, no. Through the tornado that was raging throughout my mind, body, and soul, I had to keep a calm demeanor, a cool front, for everyone, especially for Sonic. My elbows were propped up on the arms of the chair, and my hands were crossed, resting in front of my face. I relaxed my face, and changed my expression to that of a calm, stoic, laid-back one. This earned me an even bigger reaction of surprise from the denizens of the living room. Well, all but Sonic and Sally. I probably scared almost everyone in the living room with my calm state.

I had to remain calm. I became the perfect picture of the word calm. I was the definition of calm.

The calm before the storm.

"What is everyone staring at?" I asked calmly.

Yea. Chipmunk girl was definitely in for a _big_ storm.


	7. Chapter 7: Shadow's Conclusion

**DISCLAIMER: **I DO NOT OWN SONIC THE HEDGEHOG OR ANY OF ITS CHARACTERS.

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **Hey, guys! I've been a little slow in updating this fanfic and I'm sorry about that. I've been a busy with a lot lately, but here's another chapter to hold you guys over. I hope this chapter isn't mad boring for you all, either. And by the way, thanks so much for your support and reviews and for following my stories. I really appreciate it! It makes me feel so loved! Lol! Anyway, R&R&Enjoy!

* * *

><p>"I said what is everyone looking at?" I inquired once again, since no one answered me when I had initially asked. I guess upon hearing my voice a second time, everyone had finally broken out of their incoherent stupors and whatnot, and they all took seats in the room we were in.<p>

Clearly, being the nosy creatures that they were, they awaited my take on the squirrel girl's recent and bold proclamation. But, they wouldn't get it.

. . . Heh! Squirrel girl. That name had a nice, appropriate ring to it. I mean, I would guess that it would be appropriate seeing as how I didn't know nor care about whether she was a squirrel or chipmunk, and I _sure _as hell didn't harness enough respect for her to address her by name. Squirrel girl it was, then.

"Oh! Nothing, Shadow." Rouge responded. "Everything's absolutely fine, right everyone?"

Everyone nodded their heads in false agreement with the bat. Any fool could tell by their earlier reaction that everyone felt as if something was out of place. And indeed something was. My close and former companion had appeared at this silly event with a female on his arm, and everyone knew that he used to be _mine_. He used to be on _my_ arm, clinging to me with such love and affection. How could he so freely give something so precious as his affections away to someone so peasant-like and common? And to a _female_, no less!

Blasphemous!

But, I had to keep calm. I refused to lose my composure in front of this silly bunch of individuals. Since it was obvious that I couldn't talk to my past flame, not that he would give me the hour of day anymore if I requested that of him, I guess I would just have to confide in Rouge later on. That is, if I absolutely had to rant and rave about how I was feeling and could no longer suppress my emotions inside of me. I fear that moment is coming soon, and I shudder at the thought of expressing myself to the bat. However, she is who I have to confide in at this present time.

"So, ehh . . . Sally, was it?" Rouge attempted to make small talk with the squirrel girl, who eagerly nodded her head. "How did you and Sonic meet, exactly?"

I agreed with Rouge about being curious as to how squirrel girl met Sonic. I suppose it would be a trifle entertaining to learn about how the female came to know my azure love . . .

. . . before I destroyed her.

"Well, actually we met in Cosmo's. It's a cute little restaurant near Angel Island. Have you heard of it?" She asked.

My eyebrow raised slightly in disbelief. Cosmo's? If I'm not mistaken, Cosmos's was the eatery that Sonic would often drag me to when he wanted those repulsive chilidogs that he craves so much. The first time he brought me to the place, I was more than positive that I wouldn't step foot in such a place, again. Nothing was really wrong with the place. It just wasn't my cup of tea. But as time flew by and Sonic forced me to frequent the place more often with him, I grew to enjoy his company even more and not mind the atmosphere as much. I even became accustomed to the place. Cosmo's became one of our 'spots', so to speak, and I had self-logged it as a place where Sonic and I could go to converse and grab a meal together. How could he take the squirrel girl to one of our favorite places? It was almost an outrage!

"I . . . have heard of the place, actually." Rouge answered before glancing over at me for a moment. She also knew about how Sonic and I used to visit the restaurant often, back then.

"I work there as a waitress." She said. "Cosmo, the one who owns the restaurant, hired me. I had been looking for jobs one summer, and I happened to stumble upon the restaurant. I had an interview with Cosmo, she hired me on the spot, and things were cool there ever since."

So, Cosmo hired her, eh?

Next time I see her, I'll have to discuss with her on how to hire the right type of help.

"Well, that was nice of Cosmo, wasn't it, Shadow?" Rouge turned to look at me with a miniscule smirk that only I could pick out. I glared flaming daggers at her. She dared mock me at such a time? I think I'll remind her later of how she begged me to follow her to this frivolous event and how I expect to be treated as a result of doing her such a grandiose favor as this.

"Mhmm. That's where I met Sonic." Sally glanced over, grinning at the blue hedgehog sitting beside her on the couch.

"Oh, really?" Rouge said before glancing at me, again. Why? I didn't know. Maybe she was awaiting my response for all of this. She was undoubtedly aware of my habit to sometimes lose control of my temper when I am pushed to the edge. Being the thrill-seeking creature that she is, it is probable that she wanted me to act foolish in front of everyone.

She was out of luck. Because while it took everything I had to suppress my honest feelings, I would continue to keep a lid on my currently enraged emotions.

"Yeah! Sonic used to come into the restaurant a lot! I noticed him the first time I saw him since I started working there. I'm usually known to be quite the confident one, but . . . it just felt different this time." She spoke. "I was kind of shy to say anything to him, at the time."

Chaos. I can almost hear the melancholy violins of classical music playing as this foolish girl speaks. All her talking did was continue to make grimace more and more. I almost thought I was going to be sick.

"Well, who could blame you?" Sonic stated while flexing and grinning cockily beside the girl who giggled.

I half smiled at my ex-boyfriend's behavior. I tried to refrain from doing so, but I couldn't help it.

I swear to the highest of heavens that I missed him and his constant upbeat disposition.

"Whatever, Blue." Squirrel girl giggled.

My nonchalant smile immediately dropped. _Blue_? What the hell?

"Anyways," she continued. "I noticed that whenever he came into the restaurant, he would come in alone so I figured he either didn't have a girlfriend, or he just enjoyed having his alone time."

Of course he didn't have a girlfriend, you douche-bag. He had a boyfriend.

Had.

"Well, one day he came into the restaurant looking a little down, so I thought to myself 'I _have _to talk to him at some point. Why not go and cheer him up, now?' So, I gathered all the courage I could pull together, and I went over to talk to him. And it wasn't that bad." She grabbed one of Sonic's hands gently and put his in hers.

I tried my hardest to ignore the gesture and listened a little more intently, slightly curious as to where this story was going.

"He told me that he had just gone through a rough separation with someone he loved." Her expression had begun to fall a little. Apparently, she was a little hesitant about rehearsing the story.

Instantly, I averted my eyes from the couple, ashamed of even glancing in _his_ direction as squirrel girl spoke. _I_ was the cause of the rough separation.

"He just . . . looked so heartbroken, and I wanted to cheer him up so much. I wanted to see that smile that made me fall for him the first time I'd seen him in Cosmo's." The girl began to grin again as she spoke. "We started talking, and I don't even remember about what, anymore. All I know is that we ended up smiling and laughing about things before he left."

I took a chance to glance back over at the couple. Sally began to squeeze Sonic's hand in a comforting manner. But, what seemed to eat at me inside was the fact that he was squeezing back.

"I was so nervous about approaching in the beginning, but in the end, I was glad I did. And I still am." She giggled and looked over at Sonic.

Everyone sat attentively listening to the girl's story. I merely grew more and more exasperated by the minute. If anyone had glanced at my face, they would have been able to tell. I'd had enough. No longer could I bear to watch as my former love gazed into the almond-brown girl's eyes almost too lovingly. I couldn't watch any more as he squeezed her hand to assure her that he belonged to her now, and no one else. And I couldn't even think about the fact that my azure could possibly be in love with another, someone other than myself. I just couldn't.

"He was so funny. He was really silly at times, but I loved it. He was a very good listener, even though I could tell he didn't like to sit still for too long. And he was just an amazing person to me."

"Aw, stop." Sonic said. I glanced up at him and saw him blushing lightly at the compliments. Compliments that _I_ was supposed to be showering him with. I could hardly stand the fact that someone else was emitting this emotion from him.

"And then, there's his bright, radiant smile that would always manage to lighten up my mood no matter how down I was feeling."

Sonic's blush got deeper and darker. And I still hadn't turned away from gazing at him. How could I?

"And his eyes . . . they were so beautiful . . ."

He was beautiful.

" . . . like priceless, sparkling emeralds. I couldn't help but fall in love with them the way I was falling in love with him."

Undeniably, irresistibly beautiful.

"And I knew, after awhile of spending time with him, that I wanted to be with him."

I felt like I was being sucked into some sort of black hole that I just could not escape from.

But, it was perfectly fine because I didn't want to escape from it. I just wanted to have him, again. I wanted him all to myself. I wanted everything. Body, mind, soul, smile, eyes, love, and all.

And at that moment, I had made up my mind that I was _going_ to have all of that, again. I was going to have Sonic, once again. I would do whatever it took for me to have him back. And I would succeed at obtaining my love again because I am Shadow the Hedgehog and I always get what I want. That's just how it is. Squirrel girl may cry her eyes out once I've taken him from her.

But, she would just have to deal. Hmph!

"And that's how I met Sonic!" She finished with a smile.

I had to smirk slightly myself. That devilish little squirrel had no idea what she was in for.

* * *

><p>Some time after that squirrel girl poured her heart out to everyone in the living room about her relationship status with <em>my<em> boyfriend, Amy showed Sonic and Sally to their confinements.

I'm aware that praying for my room to be next to Sonic may sound a tad silly. Obsessive, even. But, so what.

I wanted to be close to him.

I planned on getting as close to him as possible during this event. I lost him once because of my brash, foolish, irrational actions. I couldn't lose him again when I had the chance to reunite with him.

Sometimes I tremble simply at the remembrance of how I ended up treating Sonic and what I did to push him away from me, remaining hidden from me for so long. I couldn't blame him. I would be damned if I even thought of blaming him for why we are no longer together. Because he wasn't to blame. I was. And I would make sure that he knew how apologetic I was. I wanted him to know how much I _wish _I could take everything back, everything I did and everything I said. He needed to know how much I loved him. How much I've always loved him and how much I would continue to love him for as long as I existed on this wretched planet as well as in the afterlife.

The hands of time continued to tick by as the three aforementioned had gone upstairs. I sat in the kitchen on one of the stools in front of a countertop. I just sat there, reflecting on matters alone.

I remembered the two-tailed fox and the hothead claiming that they wanted to 'check out the videogames' on a lower floor of the house. I had no idea where everyone else had gone. And I would be being deceitful if I said that I gave a damn. All that mattered was that the ones that I wanted to disappear had vanished from my sight.

"Hey, Stripes." Almost everyone.

"Hn." I responded incoherently.

"Everything okay on your end?"

I raised a brow. "What exactly is that supposed to mean?"

Rouge shook her head and smirked slyly. "Oh, playing _that_ game, are you?"

I grew more irritated with every passing moment of talking to Rouge. I wasn't in the mood for any company and obviously the bat didn't get the message. Or she didn't want to.

"Go away, bat."

"Honey, you know exactly what I'm talking about." Rouge pressed on. "Denial'll never help the situation, either."

"And, what situation is _that_, pray tell?" I feigned ignorance through gritted teeth.

"Oh, nothing major. It just involves spending a whole three weeks with your ex-boyfriend and his new girl—"

"That's _not_ his girlfriend, Rouge." I detested that word. The words 'Sonic the Hedgehog' and 'girlfriend' should never be in the same sentence as far as I'm concerned. And I _am_ concerned.

Rouge chuckled lightly. "A little on the defensive, aren't we?"

I didn't respond.

"Look, Stripes. I didn't approach you to get on your bad side. I just wanted to make sure you were gonna be okay through all this."

I glanced up at her before responding. "Thanks for your concern, but you should know that I'll be perfectly fine. I always am, aren't I?"

"You definitely used to be. But, it _has_ been about three years since you've seen him."

"So?"

"So, you're telling me that you don't feel anything for him, anymore?"

I was quiet, once more. But when I pondered on if for a moment, what was the purpose of concealing my feelings from Rouge? She would only find out at a later time.

"Shadow?"

"I never previously stated that I stopped feeling anything for him."

"Ah. So, you _do_, then?"

" . . . I . . . I just . . ."

"Say no more, Shadow. Believe me, _I _understand when you want something that plays hard to get. Trust me." The bat winked at me, and I scoffed at her. She had to be babbling about the crimson hothead she seemed to hold somewhat of a torch for. Why she does is beyond my comprehension.

"So, what are you gonna do about this, then?"

I thought quietly to myself for a second. What would I really have to lose by cluing in the bat on my covert endeavors to win back the object of my affections? I supposed nothing but my pride and dignity if exposing my intentions to the bat happened to backfire on me in any way. I decided that she could be trusted.

"Simple. I'm going to make him by boyfriend, again."

"And you think the little barbie's just gonna hand her boyfriend over to you?" She laughed.

"Of course not." Silly bat.

"Well, how're you gonna get him back, then?"

"By any means necessary." I told her. I am the Ultimate Life Form. If I want something, I get it. Point blank. Period. And any obstacle standing in my path would either shift willingly or be shifted forcefully. That's how it worked for me.

"Then, it sounds like you're willing to comply to whatever it takes to get Blue back, eh?"

"Hn." I responded before taking a glance at her. When I did so, I couldn't help my eyes widening, slightly. I caught a familiar gleam in her eyes that I'm used to seeing when she's up to something she shouldn't be up to.

"So, you wouldn't mind if I . . . I dunno, say, _helped_ the process along. Would you, Stripes?"

My eyes widened even more as I watched her power walk to the stairs. _Shit_. I knew confiding in that bat would somehow result in my downfall.

"Get back here, bat! I'm warning you . . ."

"Ah, it'll only take a second, Shadow." She said before disappearing from my vision and up the stairs. "Be right back!" She sang.

I face palmed a little harder than I should have. What did she _possibly_ think she could do to 'help the process along'? Anything that she had in mind had to be ten times worse than whatever _I_ planned on doing. Maybe even worse.

"Rouge!" I called in vain, once more.

If that bat girl _**dared**_ even so much as _hint_ my sentiments to Sonic, she'd witness a punishment very much akin to hell! No questions asked.

She couldn't really be dense enough to confess my feelings to my loved one, but I had a difficult time thinking otherwise at the moment. I found myself unconsciously tapping my fingers against the counter in front of me. I would say that it was a nervous habit of mine, but being the Ultimate Life Form, I didn't have any nervous habits . . . or at least I shouldn't have any.

_Sigh._ I knew I shouldn't have told that batty creature one thing about any of the issues that I currently faced. Now, that I think about it, there is no _possible_ way that things can turn out for my good, now. Surely, Rouge would trot upstairs to seek Sonic and his . . . concubine out, and she would reveal every single solitary emotion that I held for him. She would pour all of **my** feelings out to Sonic in front of squirrel girl, and she and the hedgehog would laugh. Rouge would commit this buffoonery and deem it 'helping out a friend'. And not only would my pride be crushed at Sonic's rejection of my affections, but I would be mortified to even be in his presence for the remainder of this trip. And all because of one bad decision, and the only bad decision that I've ever made in my life, that I made to specify my feelings for my former flame to the wrong being.

I had to force myself to breathe for a moment. I believe I was having what average, ordinary living beings call a panic attack.

I don't believe I've actually ever had one of those. Ever. Being the Ultimate Life Form, I've just always assumed that I was perfect. And so, I never believed that I was capable of something so common as anxiety or panic attacks. It's quite sad what I've been reduced to, when I really think about it.

Feelings of craziness, anxiousness, and nervousness. And all this because of the current situation I placed myself in. If I had just told Rouge 'no' from the very beginning, I would not be in such a chaos. Damn her. These unruly feelings inside of me are the cause of that _bat_. I'd have to thank her for this properly, later.

But, I mean, I suppose I am handling things well. To any innocent bystander, I am the perfect picture of serenity, sitting on a stool at one of the marble counters in the kitchen. But, if one were given the ability to witness what stirred inside of my cranium, that person would cower in eternal fear.

Oh, well! I'm Shadow the Hedgehog. I'm supposed to strike fear into others. It's just how I am.

All of a sudden, I snapped out of ranting and raving in my head to hear the voices of what sounded like three females walking down the stairs.

"Oh, yes! And the yacht? _Ah!_ It's just fabulous, darling." It sounded like Rouge.

"Really?" Questioned another female. Was it squirrel girl?

"But, of course, darling. Amy always takes us on her yacht when she holds her little gatherings. Isn't that right, Amy?"

"It sure is!" The pink brat answered.

There was no mistaking it. Rouge, Amy, and Sally were making their way downstairs. A few seconds after I had made out their voices, the three females appeared to the right of me. I glanced over, and they did the same.

"Hey, Shadow dear. Oh, don't mind us. We're just . . . having a little bit of _private time_ to ourselves. You know, being girls and such." I noticed the emphasis that she placed on the words 'private time'. And the blatant winking assisted my idea that something was going on.

"Yeah, Shadow." Amy chimed in. "We're just going to hang out for a little bit as girls before I see when Daddy planned to have the yacht ready for us."

A nearly twelve-year-old child with a yacht?

Life is never logical, is it?

"Yes, but there's no doubt in my mind that you'll find things to do somewhere around here." Rouge said. There was that sly gleam in her eyes, again.

"Well, we'll see you later, Shadow." Said Amy.

"So long, Stripes."

"Goodbye, Shadow!" Sally said as she turned her back on me to pursue the others. Did she think I'd dare respond? Fat chance, bitch.

Excuse my uncivil form of language.

Once I had listened to the shutting of the front door, I assumed that the girls had walked outside. "Hey, sweet stuff."

. . . until I heard Rouge's voice, that is. I took a glance over my shoulder at the female who was swaying her way over to me.

"What is it, now?" I demanded.

She threw her hands on her hips and frowned a little. "Boy! You'd think a lady would deserve a little more respect." She whined with a swift flip of her short hair.

"Respect?" I combated. "Respect for what?"

"Helping out a friend in need? Duh, Shadow."

I scoffed at her. Help? _Help?_ I might be quicker to castrate myself than to openly admit to requiring Rouge's assistance.

Maybe.

"And for what reasons could I _possibly_ need your assistance, Rouge?" I narrowed my eyes and challenged her. Was she forgetting that I was the Ultimate Life Form? I don't need assistance for I hold the capability of assisting myself. I've never played the damsel in distress. In fact, I am quite the contrary. Why, if Superman was half as good-looking as I am, one might be able to make a decent comparison between us. Point blank, I am a powerful being who needs no aid or anything akin to a sidekick. For Rouge to trot around this place with the impudence to believe that I need her to do me _any_ favors is laughable, at best. I don't want her help on this matter, and I probably will never want her help on this matter.

"Well," she began. "For starters, I coaxed Amy into _'showing'_ Sally and I the new renovations on her yacht. So, in other words—"

"Sonic is . . . upstairs alone?" I finished for her.

"Mhmm." She responded while giggling to herself.

I acknowledge the fact that I may have sounded needy and anxious, but who cares. Fuck all who judge me.

I had to smirk a little at the irony of this situation. For once, or at least this one time that I can remember, that bat actually helped me instead of being a hindrance. I was shocked to say the least, but of course I wouldn't show that. I have a superior image to uphold.

I stood up and began to brush imaginary specks of dust from my person. "Well, Rouge. Nice work. I guess I should give you a hand for pulling through for me, this time." I smirked again.

"Don't underestimate my abilities, Stripes." Rouge wagged her finger. "You of all people should know that."

I rubbed the back of my head. "You're right."

Rouge retraced her steps back toward the front doorway. "Later, Shadow." She chimed. I nodded my head in response, and the door shut.

She pulled through. She _actually _pulled through. I was in total disbelief.

But, I had to snap out of it. The real prize was not in what the bat had done, but the result of what she had done. The real prize was upstairs. The real prize was Sonic the Hedgehog. My Sonic.

He would be mine again, soon.

* * *

><p>As soon as I had broken out of my stupor, I immediately brought myself to the staircase with a determined mindset and a lust for success in gaining my former love back. I wanted him back. I wanted him to be away from that trifling chipmunk girl, and more importantly, I wanted him to be with me. Plain and simple. I don't really think I could possibly put it any plainer.<p>

Sonic should be with me, I thought as I took a step up the staircase. He needs to be with someone he knows. He should be with someone who can protect him all hurt, harm, and danger. He deserved to be with someone who can give him everlasting kindness and undying love and affection. That someone was me. It was me and only me. I took even more steps toward the upper floor.

If he'd only give me the chance, I would swear on my life to him that I would be different.

I was finally upstairs.

I wouldn't flip out on the little things. I wouldn't make him feel like an annoyance when he'd only have been pushing to spend time with me. I wouldn't make him feel unimportant, unwanted, unloved . . .

. . . and I'd be damned to hell if I **ever** . . .

_Sigh_

I needed him to know that I would never make the same mistakes twice.

He had to give me another chance. He just had to. Because I-I . . .

I . . .

I was standing right in front of his closed bedroom door. I assumed it had to be his. Not only was this room the only room logical enough to be his, but I could hear the music emitting from his room well into the hallway. "Move Along" by the All-American Rejects was playing from whatever musical contraption that Amy held in that room. I remember when Sonic and I were together, he'd play that music constantly. It would give me splitting headaches. The incoherent singing, the unnecessarily loud instruments playing in the background, and the reiteration of the lyrics was enough to make my head hurt.

This time, it gave me an unusual source of comfort. Knowing that Sonic still listened to that type of music, let alone that song, gave me a sense of knowing that at least some things hadn't changed about him, and I found my grinning ever so slightly about that.

I couldn't wait to look at him any longer, so I knocked on the door.

I waited a few seconds before I heard the music stop. "Yeah? Who is it?" He answered.

Fearing that he might turn me away if I responded to who it was, I opened the door without invitation. Across the room was my target. The one with the gorgeous emerald eyes.

He glanced up right away from unpacking his suitcases, and upon seeing me, he instantaneously glowered at me.

"What are you doing here?" He started while dropping everything and folding his arms, those warm emeralds turned cold never dropping his glare once.

. . . Maybe this wasn't such an intelligent idea, after all.

What had I placed myself into?


End file.
